Tradition's Finest Podcast

Tradition's Finest Episode 136 - "The Big Bus Bettis Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 136 - "The Big Bus Bettis Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: Heralded true freshman QB Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt's top recruit, will appear in comedian Nate Bargatze's movie "The Breadwinner" as part of his NIL deal, per Outkick's Clay Travis, although he has yet to take a singular snap at the collegiate level - - The former five-star recruit, competing with Blaze Berlowitz for the starting gig next season at Vanderbilt, will appear as a cameo in the film - - Bargatze, a Vanderbilt fan, is based in Nashville and appeared on ESPN's "College Gameday" in 2025 as a guest picker, for the Commodores' game against Missouri, as it was there that he called out Curtis and asked him to flip his recruitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt, and also threw out the idea of the QB being featured in one of his films - - Bargatze is holding up his end of the bargain, as now, Curtis will appear in the film wearing a Vanderbilt hat while shopping for a car, according to the report - - Curtis, the No.4 overall recruit and No.2-ranked QB nationally in the 2026 Class, chose Vanderbilt - his hometown school - two weeks later following Bargatze's offer - - **NOTE: Curtis is the highest-ranked recruit in program history, and represents a huge shift in the Commodores' status as a football program, especially after winning a program-best 10 games in 2025 with Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia behind center. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Vanderbilt true freshman QB Jared Curtis serving as a cameo in Nate Bargatze's film "The Breadwinner" as part of his NIL deal? Could this type of cameo feature become a regular occurrence that is potentially included as part of a recruit's NIL deal?. . ."The TIGAZZ Are Back in Town:" LSU has finalized a deal to add Ed Orgeron to its football coaching staff, the school announced Wednesday night - - Orgeron's role will officially be special assistant to recruiting and defense for the Tigers - - Orgeron is the former HC at LSU, to which he led to a national title in 2019 - - He reunites with LSU HC Lane Kiffin, Orgeron's longtime friend and colleague with whom he previously worked at USC and Tennessee - after last collaborating for a brief stint at USC in 2013 - as the relationship between Kiffin and Orgeron goes back a quarter century, as they first served on a staff together in 2001 under Pete Carroll at USC, as Orgeron is largely credited with being the recruiting engine during that gilded USC era - - Along with serving as the head coach at Ole Miss & LSU and as the interim coach at USC, Orgeron crafted a reputation as one of the country's top recruiters and defensive line coaches - - Fortunately, recent changes in NCAA recruiting rules will allow Orgeron to go out on the road to recruit for the Tigers, selling the two things he knows intimately well: LSU and Kiffin. . .Q: How do you feel about Ed Orgeron being hired at LSU to serve on Lane Kiffin's staff as the special assistant to recruiting and defense? Could Orgeron's hire potentially be related to a potential interim role in the event that the LSU gig does not go as planned?. . .⭐"A Special Discussion on the NIL Rule & NCAA Transfer Portal and How They Are Changing the Landscape of College Sports:⭐: In this week's "special discussion" segment, JD & Spencer discuss the NIL, the NCAA Transfer Portal, and Player Opt-Outs - as well as the way in which each of these factors have drastically changed the landscape of college sports, specifically college football - and finally, they discuss & provide their individual feedback of what the future of NIL is as it continues to evolve across the collegiate (or University) level. . .**Be Sure to Tune in for This Week's Special Discussion segment. . .NCAA College Basketball: Head basketball coach Will Wade has earned the "American Gangster" moniker, but LSU is taking an even more brazen affront to the NCAA's shaky eligibility rules and regulations: Former Boston Celtics guard RJ Luis Jr., who is looking to return to college, has signed with LSU, per multiple reports, in hopes to play one more season in the collegiate ranks - - The same RJ Luis Jr., who earned 2025 Big East Player of the Year honors under St. John's coach Rick Pitino two seasons ago - after averaging 18.2 points & 7.2 rebounds for the Red Storm - and who controversially chose to remain in the 2025 NBA Draft despite numerous seven-figure deals that were on the table in last spring's transfer portal market - - Luis, 23, didn't play this season due primarily to injury, but he did, however, suit up for three (3) preseason games for the Celtics back in October - - Luis went through the NBA draft process last summer, and while he wasn't drafted, he signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz, prior to being acquired by the Celtics in the Georges Niang trade - - However, Luis was waived by the C's ahead of the 2026 NBA season and didn't suit up for a regular-season game - - It remains to be seen what Luis' eligibility will be next season as he looks to return to the collegiate ranks, as the NCAA has set the precedent that any player that received compensation from an NBA franchise - for instance, signing a two-way contract - will be deemed ineligible, and so, Luis might not be able to return to the college ranks, despite signing with the Will Wade's Tigers. . .Q: Should RJ Luis Jr. be granted an additional year of college eligibility even after signing a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz and suiting up for three (3) preseason games for the NBA's Boston Celtics? Does this not feel like a very "Will Wade-esque" type of move, allowing RJ Luis Jr. to sign with LSU?. . . - NFL - - Aaron Rodgers isn't done just yet. .Following another prolonged decision-making process, four-time NFL MVP and QB Aaron Rodgers, has officially signed a one-year deal to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2026-27 season, with the deal reportedly being worth up to $25 million, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, and furthermore, it is expected to include a base salary between $22 and $23 million, with up to a few million more in incentives - - The signing comes just weeks after the Steelers placed a UFA tender on Rodgers, 42, in a procedural move that would either give them a compensatory draft pick if he signed elsewhere before training camp or restrict his ability to sign with another team once camp begins - - Though the Steelers remained confident & in communication with Rodgers throughout the process, the QB still made the decision on his own timeline, despite team owner and president Art Rooney II publicly saying that the organization expected a resolution by the start of April's NFL Draft - - Instead, Rodgers traveled to Pittsburgh the weekend of the team's minicamp and agreed to the deal before the team's first voluntary OTA session - - And Rodgers also acknowledged that his familiarity with a number of assistants brought to Pittsburgh by McCarthy added to his interest in returning to the Steelers - - The Steelers added to their QB room while they waited, and drafted Penn State star Drew Allar in the third round in a move new HC Mike McCarthy said was unrelated to Rodgers' impending decision - - McCarthy, hired to replace longtime HC Mike Tomlin in January, previously expressed his desire to reunite with Rodgers, for whom he coached for 13 seasons in Green Bay - as Rodgers called it a "full circle" moment to be able to play for McCarthy again - - Though Rodgers' first season in Pittsburgh was inconsistent & ended with the worst playoff performance of his career in a wild-card loss to the Houston Texans - which featured Rodgers being sacked four (4) times and him completing just 51.5% of his pass attempts as the Steelers struggled mightily against the Texans' stacked defense - but he also authored several remarkable wins, especially late in the season, including the Week 18 win against the Baltimore Ravens that clinched the AFC North title - as Rodgers completed 66% of his attempts & threw for a season-high 294 yards passing - - Rodgers finished the 2025 season completing 65.7% of his attempts - his best mark since 2021 - and threw for 3,322 yards with 24 TDs and seven (7) INTs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on 42-year-old QB Aaron Rodgers returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal? - - **UPDATE: Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday that the 2026 NFL season will be the last of his Hall of Fame-worthy career. . .Q: How do you feel about the Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy reunion in Pittsburgh? How do you anticipate that it will end?. . "Cooked Rice:" Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice has been sentenced to serve 30 days in jail after testing positive for marijuana in violation of the terms of his probation for his role in a crash that left multiple people injured on a Dallas highway two years ago - - The Texas State Attorney's Office said Tuesday that Rice was ordered to go to jail immediately as part of his original 30-day sentence for third-degree felony of racing & causing bodily injury - - Rice had received deferred adjudication after pleading guilty, and the case would have been dismissed if he had completed the probation: he was placed in custody and booked into the Dallas County jail at 1:25 a.m. ET, per jail records, and he is set to be released on June 16 - - Meanwhile, the Chiefs have voluntary practices that are scheduled to begin next week as well as a mandatory minicamp that is set to end June 11, however, it was reported shortly after Rice's arrest that, one week prior, he underwent a clean-up surgery on his right knee to remove loose debris that was causing inflammation, per sources to ESPN's Adam Schefter - - Rice is expected to be sidelined for two months but is expected to be ready for training camp later this summer, sources confirmed - - The Chiefs said they have been in touch with the NFL concerning the matter, yet the team nor the league representatives have publicly commented on Rice's arrest. . .Q: Should the Kansas City Chiefs - or most importantly the NFL - implement some type of disciplinary action for WR Rashee Rice following his most recent probation violation?. . . - NBA - - "A New Direction:" Jason Kidd is out as the head coach for the Dallas Mavericks after five (5) seasons in what the team described as a "mutual decision" Tuesday evening - - Kidd has four (4) years and more than $40 million remaining on his current contract, sources told ESPN, but Mavericks' team governor Patrick Dumont - who extended Kidd's contract during Dallas' NBA Finals run in 2024 and again before last season after they declined the New York Knicks' request to interview him for their vacant head coaching position, gave new team president Masai Ujiri full authorization to determine the coach's future with the franchise - - The Mavs also parted ways with several members of the basketball operations department on Tuesday, including assistant GM Matt Riccardi, who had served as the team's interim GM alongside Michael Finley following the dismissal of former GM Nico Harrison - - Finley's tenure with the franchise, however, has not yet been determined - - Kidd had a 205-205 overall record as the HC of the Mavericks, whereas Dallas went 22-18 in the playoffs under Kidd, advancing to the 2022 Western Conference finals and the 2024 NBA Finals - - Prior to the Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, under Kidd, the Mavs had a 136-87 record with Doncic in the starting lineup and went 69-118 without him, which included a 26-56 record last season - - **NOTE: Kidd has a 388-395 record as a NBA head coach, having begun his coaching career with the Brooklyn Nets in 2013 immediately after his retirement as a player, and coaching the Milwaukee Bucks from 2014 to 2018. . .Q: Were you surprised by Dallas Mavericks' president Masai Ujiri's decision to dismiss HC Jason Kidd after five (5) seasons?. . .2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer provide a weekly recap for each of the following semifinal & conference final round games from across the league, and also discuss a few of the major storylines from the 2025-26 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Semifinal Round: Game 7: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers      [Series tied 3-3] Eastern Conference Finals: Game 1: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers     [Series 0-0] Western Conference Finals: Game 1: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.2 San Antonio Spurs   [Series 0-0] Game 2: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.2 San Antonio Spurs  [SA leads series 1-0] - NBA (cont'd) - - "Trading Magic for Voodoo:" The New Orleans Pelicans have hired former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley as the franchise's new HC, per executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars, who made the announcement on Monday - - Mosley, who led the Magic to three (3) consecutive playoff berths over the past three (3) seasons despite multiple injury-plagued campaigns, was fired on May 4 - just a day after Orlando lost in Game 7 to the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs following a 3-1 series lead - - That ultimately cleared the way for the Pelicans to fully focus on Mosley, who had a 189-221 record in his five (5) seasons in Orlando - - The 47-year-old Mosley, who finished second in the NBA Coach of the Year voting in 2023-24, had the third-most regular-season wins in Magic franchise history (189) - - Prior to the addition of Mosley, Orlando hadn't made the playoffs for three (3) straight seasons since the team did it six (6) years in a row from 2006-08 through 2011-12 - - Mosley built teams anchored by strong defenses, with the Magic ranked No.3 overall in 2023-24, No.2 in 2024-25 & No.11 this season - - In New Orleans, Mosley will take over a roster mixed with young talent such as Derik Queen, Jeremiah Fears & Yves Missi and veterans such as Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Jordan Poole, Dejounte Murray & Herbert Jones, however, this is a team that finished the season with a 26-56 record, yet they own just one draft pick in the upcoming NBA Draft in June - No.58 - after trading away their first-rounder in a draft-day deal a year ago, which helped them move up to acquire Queen. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the New Orleans Pelicans hiring former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley as the franchise's new HC?. . ."Back 2 Back:" Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA MVP for a second consecutive season on Sunday, winning the award in a landslide after another stellar year for the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder - - SGA was flanked by his Thunder teammates during a news conference at the Thunder's practice facility, as they all wore Burberry trench coats that were given to them as part of a lavish gift basket by Gilgeous-Alexander - - **NOTE: Gilgeous-Alexander became just the 14th player ever to win back-to-back NBA MVP awards, which puts him in truly historic company - - Only some of the greatest names the league has ever seen has accomplished the feat, including Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic & Giannis Antetokounmpo, as now SGA joins that legendary list - - Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, ranked second in the NBA in scoring with 31.1 points per game while shooting a career-best 55.3% from the field, as he also averaged a career-high 6.6 assists for the 64-18 Thunder, who had the NBA's best overall record for a second consecutive season - - The other MVP finalists this season were Jokic and Wembanyama, as SGA led the way with 83 of the total 100 first-place votes, while Jokic finished second and Wemby third - - Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers and Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons rounded out the top five (5), while both players just missed the NBA's cutoff for postseason award eligibility but were granted an exception upon appeal. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being named NBA MVP for a second consecutive season?. . . - Miscellaneous - - UFC: Conor McGregor will return to competition for the first time in five (5) years this summer, UFC CEO Dana White announced Saturday: McGregor (22-6) will face Max Holloway (27-9) in a non-title welterweight bout at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas - - The former two-weight UFC champion's return will take place after a five-year layoff, as McGregor's last appearance was a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier on July 10, 2021, where he suffered a broken leg in the loss - - The pairing is a rematch of a featherweight matchup that took place in August 2013 and was McGregor's second fight in the UFC - - McGregor, 37, was supposed to face Michael Chandler in a comeback fight at UFC 303 in June 2024 but withdrew with a toe injury - - He has dealt with multiple legal issues outside of the Octagon during his absence, most notably, in November 2024 when an Irish jury found him liable in a civil sexual assault case stemming from an incident that occurred in 2018 - and he lost an appeal of that result in Ireland's High Court in July - - In the co-main event, Paddy Pimblett will face Benoit Saint Denis in a lightweight bout, as Pimblett returns to the Octagon for the first time since January when he suffered his first loss in the UFC to Justin Gaethje, while Saint Denis most recently defeated Dan Hooker in Australia in January and is riding a four-fight win streak. . .Q: Will you be tuning into UFC 329 for the McGregor-Holloway and Pimblett-Denis co-main event?. . .MMA: Ronda Rousey stopped Gina Carano with her signature armbar just 17 seconds into the iconic fighter's mixed martial arts comeback bout on Saturday night - - The 39-year-old Rousey ended a nine & a half-year absence from MMA when she took the cage with 44-year-old Carano, who hadn't fought in 17 years - - Rousey wasted no time when the door finally closed, charging & tackling Carano an instant after the opening bell rang - - **NOTE: Rousey famously won eight (8) fights in less than a minute during her meteoric rise through MMA in the 2010s - - Carano was all smiles even after the swift end to one of the longest layoffs in pro sports history, as this improbable double comeback bout united two of the most important fighters from MMA's past two decades - - Rousey has repeatedly said that this would be her final fight, whereas Carano has said that she doesn't know what the future holds. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Ronda Rousey's 17-second MMA victory over Gina Carano on Saturday night?. . .PGA: Until Sunday, Aaron Rai was best known for being the PGA Tour golfer who played with two gloves. . .Now, Rai will be remembered as the first English-born golfer to win the PGA Championship in more than a century after his stunning victory at Aronimink Golf Club - - In a final round in which none of the game's biggest stars seemed capable of taking control, Rai finally did and won the Wanamaker Trophy after a 5-under 65 - - His 72-hole total of 9-under 271 was three (3) strokes better than Jon Rahm & Alex Smalley - - Rai said he was not aware of England's 107-year drought without a PGA Championship until Saturday - - **NOTE: He became the first English-born golfer to win the PGA Championship since Jim Barnes captured the first two tournaments in 1916 and 1919, which were both match-play competitions - - Rai's victory ended a 10-year streak of American golfers winning the Wanamaker, as Australia's Jason Day had been the most recent non-American to win the PGA when he triumphed at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in 2015 - - Rai's knockout blows came on back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17, as he sank a 68 1/2-foot putt on the par-3 17th - the second-longest putt made by any player in the field this week - - Now, he gets a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour and invitations to the Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship for the next five (5) years - and as for the PGA Championship, he is welcome back for life and earned a $3.7 million payday. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Aaron Rai becoming the first English-born golfer to win the PGA Championship in the previous 107 years?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Tradition's Finest Episode 135 - "The Big Hurt Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 135 - "The Big Hurt Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: "Basket Weaving 101:" Some SEC football coaches aren't waiting for next season's kickoff to get after each other: One day after LSU HC Lane Kiffin's controversial comments concerning Ole Miss, Texas HC Steve Sarkisian made the following statement to USA Today: "At Texas, we will only take 50% of a player's academic credit hours. You may be a semester from graduating, but you're going all the way back to 50% if you play here and want a degree. But at Ole Miss, they can take you. All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree." - - A University of Texas athletic department spokesperson told ESPN on Tuesday that Sarkisian's comments were part of a larger conversation about tampering and [that] he was stressing the importance of academics at the University - - Shortly afterwards, first-year Florida HC Jon Sumrall, a former assistant at Ole Miss, added to the fray later Tuesday afternoon with a jab at Sarkisian via social media: "Grateful to coach at a top 10 public university that also offers advanced basket weaving!". . .Q: What are your thoughts on Sarkisian's comments regarding Ole Miss academics for student-athletes? - - The flurry of jabs comes just weeks before the SEC's annual spring meetings, which is scheduled to occur May 26-28 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Miramar Beach, Florida - - In a four-hour interview with Vanity Fair magazine that was published on Monday, Lane Kiffin - who was the head football coach at Ole Miss prior to accepting a similar role at LSU - said that some top [high school] recruits would tell him [that] they weren't interested in coming to Oxford, Mississippi: "[They would say], 'Hey Coach, we really like you, but my grandparents aren't letting me move to Oxford, Mississippi," Kiffin told the magazine. "That doesn't come up when you say Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Parents were sitting here this weekend saying the campus's diversity feels so great: 'It feels like there's no segregation. And we want that for our kid because that's the real world."' - - According to the article, Kiffin clarified his remarks one day later: "I just hope [my comment] comes across respectful to Ole Miss . . .There are some things that I'm saying that are factual; they're not shots." - - Let's analyze the overall demographics of the two college towns: The population of Baton Rouge (LA) - home to Louisiana State University - is 52% African-American (or Black) and 34% Caucasian (or White), according to 2024 census data, whereas Oxford - the home of Ole Miss University - is 66% Caucasian (or White) and 26% African-American (or Black) - - Kiffin led Ole Miss to a 50-19 overall record from 2020 to 2025 prior to leaving for LSU, whom of which offered him a seven-year contract worth about $13 million annually - - There is no doubt that Kiffin's remarks will serve as additional motivation for Pete Golding & the Ole Miss Rebels as they prepare for the upcoming 2026-27 college football season, especially for one particular date that we are sure they have circled on their calendar, September 19th, the date that Lane Kiffin & the LSU Tigers travel to Oxford to take on the Rebels. . .Q: What is your take on Lane Kiffin's comments to Vanity Fair magazine regarding the differences in overall campus diversity between that of Ole Miss & LSU? While he has since attempted to clarify his remarks, on a more personal level, do you believe that his comments were, in fact, "calculated?". . .Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy has been released from the hospital after being shot in the upper leg early Sunday morning, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel, as he plans to head to Missouri's campus immediately to begin rehabbing with the goal of playing this year, sources said - - The 20-year-old Tigers' star RB was shot while attending a "rap concert," in his native Mississippi, and was rushed to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, where he immediately underwent surgery: The shooting incident reportedly occurred around 2 a.m. Sunday outside a concert at the Kamakazy Biker Club in Laurel, Mississippi, as the Laurel police department informed the local news affiliate on Monday that at least two people were injured and three (3) people of interest were in custody, as three (3) 19-year-old men, identified as Landice Magee, Jvon Sibley & Alvin Peyton, were arrested & booked into the Jones County (MS) jail on Sunday, in connection with the shooting of Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy - - According to numerous reports & posts on social media, the three (3) suspects were former high school teammates of Hardy's at Lawrence County High School in Mississippi - - A first-team All-SEC selection last season, Hardy was second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season - - **NOTE: The first-team Associated Press All-America selection and SEC Newcomer of the Year also scored 16 TDs and averaged 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts en route to being a finalist for the Doak Walker Award - - Hardy transferred to Missouri from UL Monroe following the 2024 CFB season, when he rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 TDs on 237 rushing attempts. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Ahmad Hardy shooting?. . . "It Really Do Be Your Own Family:" Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day will have some very familiar competition in the Big Ten Conference very soon. .The son of the Ohio State football coach, R.J. Day, announced his commitment to Northwestern University for the Class of 2027 on Sunday - as the Wildcats play in the same conference as Ohio St., and the schools/programs will face off in a B1G Conference matchup during the regular season - - R.J. Day, a 6-foot-1, 205-lb QB prospect from - not surprisingly - Columbus, Ohio, who has started for three (3) years at St. Francis DeSales High School, will begin his senior season this fall - after which point, he plans to enroll at Northwestern under head football coach David Braun - - According to reports, the younger Day received other offers from Purdue, Syracuse, Cincinnati & South Florida, among others - - With his commitment, Northwestern will feature a total of eight (8) QBs on Braun's roster, but the most interesting aspect of R.J.'s commitment Northwestern involves the Wildcats' newly-hired OC: the OC for the Wildcats is Chip Kelly, who ironically served in the same role for Ryan Day at Ohio State when the Buckeyes won the national championship in 2024, and he was also the OC at New Hampshire when Ryan Day was the team captain from 1998-2001. . .Q: What does R.J. Day's commitment to Northwestern tell you about his capabilities as a QB prospect? Could you imagine a father vs. son scenario that becomes engrained into the Ohio St.-Northwestern regular-season matchup of the 2027-28 season?. . ."An Evaluation & Analysis of the Alabama Crimson Tide's 2025-26 College Football Season/2026-27 Season Outlook (aka, our "Alabama Postmortem" segment): In this particular segment, JD & Spencer conduct a post-analysis of the 2025-26 Alabama Crimson Tide college football season, a sort of postmortem if you will (i.e., A Season Overview). . .as well as evaluate/grade their offseason acquisitions (i.e., by way of recruiting as well as via the NCAA transfer portal) for this particular recruiting cycle. . .Finally, they each present their independent thoughts regarding the program & its' overall direction as we draw closer to the upcoming 2026-27 season (i.e., A Preseason Outlook). . .which also includes an overview & discussion of HC Kalen DeBoer's performance throughout his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa, and what pertinent factors might determine whether this coaching staff is or is not on the "hot seat.". . . - MLB - - Less than a week after the passing of former Atlanta Braves team owner, Ted Turner, former longtime manager & World Series champion Bobby Cox, 84, who won more than 2,500 games in his career and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, has passed away, the team announced Saturday - - Cox lasted just two seasons as a player in the majors, with the New York Yankees in 1968-69, and finished with a modest .225 career batting average. .but it was as a manager that Cox would make his mark/embolden his legacy: **NOTE: Cox ranks fourth all time with 2,504 wins in 29 years as a manager, including 25 years in two stints with the Atlanta Braves and four (4) years with the Toronto Blue Jays, as he was named Manager of the Year four (4) times - and only Connie Mack, John McGraw & Tony La Russa had more regular-season wins than Cox - - The often-tempestuous skipper - he was ejected more times than any other manager in MLB history (158 times during the regular season; to put this in context, the MLB regular season is 162 games) - and he led the Braves to 14 straight division titles from 1991 to 2005 and the 1995 World Series title, their first since the franchise's relocation in 1966 - - As a GM, Cox helped build the team that enjoyed its long run of division titles, as Cox returned to the dugout as manager in 1990, and John Schuerholz moved to Atlanta as GM, forming a successful partnership with Cox - - Cox's most celebrated draft pick as GM was Chipper Jones, the No.1 selection in 1990, as Jones would go on to spend his entire career with the Braves, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018, joining Cox & former teammates Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine & John Smoltz - - The Braves retired Cox's No.6 following his final season in 2011, and he entered the HOF in 2014 alongside Maddux & Glavine - - Cox suffered a stroke in April 2019, but he eventually regained feeling on his right side following a short bout of paralysis, as well as his speech, and was able to return to the Braves' home park about five (5) months later. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the untimely passing of former Braves manager (& GM) and World Series champ Bobby Cox? Do you have any special memories of Bobby Cox as the manager of the Atlanta Braves?. . - NBA - - Memphis Grizzlies forward and seven-year veteran, Brandon Clarke, 29, was found dead at a home in Los Angeles on Monday - - LAPD sources confirmed to ABC News that Clarke was found dead from a possible drug overdose Monday in a home located in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, as narcotics were found at the scene, and there was no evidence of foul play, sources reported to ABC News - - Clarke was drafted in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019 and was traded two weeks later to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he played his entire seven-year career - - Clarke was the No.21 overall pick out of Gonzaga, which dealt his rights to the Grizzlies, who already had drafted guard Ja Morant with the No.2 overall pick - as Clarke joined Morant on the NBA's All-Rookie team during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, averaging 12.1 points & 5.9 rebounds in 58 games while finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting - - Clarke served primarily as a valuable bench player early in his career and signed a four-year, $52 million extension with the Grizzlies in October 2022 - - He suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in March 2023 and appeared in only six (6) games the following season - - Injuries limited Clarke to 72 of a possible 246 games over the past three (3) seasons, including only two this season, as he averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds over his seven (7) seasons in Memphis - - Prior to this tragedy, Clarke was arrested April 1 in Arkansas for speeding and possession of a controlled substance that was reportedly kratom, an herbal supplement, promoted as an alternative pain remedy, that is set to become illegal in the state of Tennessee as of July 1 - he was released on bond a day later. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the untimely passing of Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke?. . .Jason Collins, 47, the NBA's first openly gay player who served as a global ambassador for the sport the past decade, has died of brain cancer, his family reported on Tuesday - - Collins revealed to ESPN in November 2025 that he had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer - - Collins traveled to Singapore this past winter to receive experimental treatments that, to date, have not been authorized for use in the United States - - Those treatments were reportedly effective, allowing him to return home, attend NBA All-Star Weekend in LA, and even attend a game at his alma mater, Stanford - but unfortunately, the cancer recently returned, and Collins died peacefully at his Los Angeles home, surrounded by his family - - As for his career, Collins retired from the NBA in 2014 after 13 years in the league that included stops with the New Jersey Nets, Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington and a return to the Nets after they moved to Brooklyn - - **NOTE: Collins first announced that he was gay in a 2013 Sports Illustrated cover story, becoming the first publicly gay athlete to play in any of the four (4) main North American sports leagues. . .Q: What are your thoughts of the passing of former NBA player Jason Collins? What contributions do you attribute to Collins throughout his 13-year NBA career? . . .2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review & recap each of the following semifinal round games from across the NBA over the previous week, and also discuss a few of the major storylines from the 2025-26 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference: Game 4: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers    [NY leads series 3-0] Game 4: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavalier     [DET leads series 2-1] Western Conference: Game 4: No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs No.6 Minnesota T-Wolves [SA leads series 2-1] Game 4: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 LA Lakers  [OKC leads series 3-0] Game 5: No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.6 Minnesota T-Wolves  [Series tied 2-2] - NBA (cont'd) - - Daryl Morey is out at president of basketball operations with the Philadelphia 76ers, who are opting to retain Nick Nurse as their head coach - - Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, will reportedly lead the search for the new head executive for the 76ers and will oversee the franchise's basketball department in the interim - as Myers is the four-time NBA championship architect of the Golden State Warriors - and the incumbent staff will be evaluated by Myers and then the incoming top basketball official - - Morey had led the 76ers basketball operations for the past six (6) seasons, that included five (5) playoff berths and a 270-212 record throughout that span, however, the 76ers have not advanced beyond the second (or semifinal) round of the playoffs under Morey, and have not been to the conference finals since 2001 - - Morey's legacy in Philadelphia will be determined primarily by which moves you take into consideration, while analyzing the high highs and low lows of his tenure in the 'City of Brotherly Love; just to name a few: (a) Morey traded for James Harden - with whom he'd previously had success in Houston - ahead of the 2022 trade deadline - however, the reunion was short-lived as the 76ers declined to offer 'The Beard' a long-term maximum contract the following season, as Philadelphia agreed to search for a viable trade partner upon Harden's request after he agreed to pick up his $35.6 million player option that June - but unfortunately, the Sixers' asking price was too steep - and no teams were willing or able to meet it at first - - After Harden openly blasted Morey during a promotional tour in China, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on Halloween 2023, with Philadelphia landing LA's unprotected first-round pick in 2028 & swap rights in 2029 - as Philadelphia still owes Brooklyn a top-eight (8) "protected"" first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft from its original acquisition of Harden; (b) Morey also signed All-Stars Paul George & Joel Embiid to massive contracts, with George agreeing to a four-year, $212 million maximum deal in 2024, whereas Embiid agreed to a three-year, $192.9 million contract later that year - - Unfortunately for Morey, Philly's "big three" - George, Tyrese Maxey & Embiid have only played in a total of 43 games together over the past two seasons, including the playoffs, owning a 22-21 record; (c) Morey also dealt Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline this season, and the third-year guard is now an integral part of their rotation; (d) Morey selected guard VJ Edgecombe with the No.3 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, as he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting this season behind Cooper Flagg & Kon Knueppel - - Nurse, meanwhile, is 116-130 in three (3) seasons, a record largely impacted by last year's 24-58 mark, however, Nurse has twice led the Sixers to the playoffs, including this season when Philadelphia overcame a 3-1 series deficit for the first time to defeat the Boston Celtics in the opening round prior to being swept by the New York Knicks in the semifinal round. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Philadelphia 76ers' decision to dismiss president of basketball operations Daryl Morey? Decision to retain HC Nick Nurse?. . .2026 NBA Draft Lottery: The Washington Wizards, who entered with a 14% chance at the No.1 selection, won the NBA draft lottery Sunday, earning them the first overall pick in June's NBA Draft - - **NOTE: The Wizards became the first team to win the lottery after finishing with the league's worst record (17-65) since the NBA revamped the lottery format in 2019 - - This represents the next step in a franchise transformation that saw the Wizards trade for All-Stars Trae Young & Anthony Davis earlier this year - - The Wizards previously won the lottery in 2001, when they selected big man Kwame Brown out of high school, and most recently in 2011, when they drafted PG John Wall from Kentucky, but now, 15 years later, Wizards' officials are hoping that the player the organization drafts first this year - whether it's A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson - will be even more impactful to D.C than Wall was - - The Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies & Chicago Bulls filled out the top four (4) picks, in that order - - "The Biggest Losers:" Based on the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, the Indiana Pacers entered Sunday with second-best odds to win the lottery (14%) and/or a 52.1% chance of landing a top four (4) selection, according to ESPN and IndyStar, however, the Pacers - who ended the NBA regular season with the league's second-worst record at 19-63 - fell in the lottery to fifth, but as a result of their trade deadline deal with the LA Clippers to acquire center Ivica Zubac - a deal that stipulated the Pacers would retain their pick only if it landed in the top four (4) - but what can only be summarized as "horrible luck," the Pacers must now convey the No.5 pick to the Clippers - - The 2026 draft class is considered by most analysts to be one of the deepest at the top in recent memory, as the Class' big four (4) are BYU wing AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke big man Cameron Boozer & North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson - - Lists of the next best prospects typically include a sleuth of talented guards, such as Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville), Brayden Burries (Arizona), Kingston Flemings (Houston) & Keaton Wagler (Illinois), as well as big man Aday Mara, who helped lead the Michigan Wolverines to a D-I national championship this season - - The final results of the 2026 NBA Draft lottery along with each team's lottery odds are included below: 1. Washington Wizards - 14% (winner) 2. Utah Jazz - 11.5% 3. Memphis Grizzlies - 9% 4. Chicago Bulls - 4.5% 5.Indiana --> LA Clippers - 14% 6. Brooklyn Nets - 14% 7. Sacramento Kings - 11.5% 8. New Orleans Pelicans --> Atlanta Hawks - 6.8% 9. Dallas Mavericks - 6.7% 10. Milwaukee Bucks - 3% 11. Golden State Warriors - 2% 12. LAC--> Oklahoma City Thunder - 1.5% 13. Miami Heat - 1% 14. Charlotte Hornets - 0.5%                       Thanks for Listening!

Tradition's Finest Episode 134 - "The Quadruple-Double/Dream Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 134 - "The Quadruple-Double/Dream Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: "6-7, 6-7, 7-6?:" The men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments are expanding to 76 teams, the NCAA announced Thursday - - **NOTE: It is the first time the men's tournament has expanded since 2011, and the first time the women's tpurnament has expanded since 2022 (15 years and 4 years for men's & women's tournaments, respectively) - - The expansion from 68 teams to 76 teams marks the men's largest increase since it moved to 64 teams in 1985 - - It went from 64 to 65 in 2001 and then added three (3) more teams in 2011 to form the "First Four" - - With the increase to 76, the First Four (4) - doubleheaders on back-to-back days in Dayton (OH) - will be replaced by a 12-game Opening Round: The Tuesday and Wednesday of the men's tournament will feature 12 games played by 24 teams in two different cities, as there will now be three (3) games each day in Dayton and three (3) games each day in a second city to be determined, with sources telling ESPN's Pete Thamel that the second site is expected to be west of the Eastern time zone to help with logistics - - On the women's side, the 12 Opening Round games will be played on the Wednesday & Thursday between Selection Sunday and the beginning of the Round of 64 on Friday - and across 12 of the campus site designated as first- and second-round hosts - - Half of the 24 Opening Round teams will be the lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers, as the others will be the lowest-seeded "at-large" teams, while the traditional 64-team first round and ensuing rounds rounds will remain the same in both the men's and women's tournament. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA's announcement that both the men's & women's NCAA basketball tournaments will expand to 76 teams beginning next season?. . .NCAA College Football: "Never Too Late:" A retired businessman enrolled in college for the first time - and joined the NCAA D-III football team as a freshman walk-on - after a dire cancer diagnosis reinvigorated his zeal for life: Tom Green, a 60-year-old Maryland native, stunned officials when he tried out for the football program during his freshman year at McDaniel College, located in Westminster, Maryland - - Now, he's slated to become one of the oldest college athletes in United States history, about a decade after beating cancer, as he is set to make his debut on the defensive line in the fall season: Green turns 61 years old in June, and if he plays through his 62nd birthday, he will, in fact, become the oldest person to ever play college football - - When he was first diagnosed with stage four (4) kidney cancer in 2015, Green said he was certifiably "dying," as his doctors informed him that he had eight (8) tumors festered in his body, stretching from one in his skull to another in the tail of his pancreas - and then, in what Green chalked up to divine intervention, he was declared cancer-free in 2018 - - While reapplying to college after being cleared of cancer, he decided to take his shot at joining the team - - Some players on the team, according to Green, thought his recruitment was a joke, but they eventually began to accept his presence as an inspiration: "I had to get used to it. At first, it was kind of weird, but I got used to it because he teaches us lifelong lessons that we can use off the field," teammate Jordan Weeden said - - Green was also blown away by the team's warm reception, though he admitted it only came about after they each tested him with rough blows during practice - - The sexagenarian knows his time on the turf is finite, but he hopes to leave his newfound brothers with memories that will carry them through the rest of their lives: "[Football] never leaves you. And the one thing that I always tell everybody is, the camaraderie of it all, you miss it. I've had employees, and I've had people work for me, and so on and so forth, but when you're playing ball, it's a lot different atmosphere. It's one of those things that I think the Lord has led me to and God's blessed me to do it," he added. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the resiliency of Mr. Tom Green? Thoughts on him becoming the oldest person to ever play the sport of college football?. . . - NBA - - 2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review & recap the following first-round & semifinal playoff games: **Be Sure to Tune in for a full recap of the first & second round playoff series listed below. . . Western Conference Playoffs: First Round Game 6: No.4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No.5 Houston Rockets LAL leads series 3-2 Eastern Conference Playoffs: First Round Game 7: No.2 Boston Celtics vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers Series tied 3-3 (includes a discussion of "Embiid's Plea" & "Jaylen Brown's Twitch Rant". . .) Game 7: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.8 Orlando Magic Series tied 3-3 Game 7: No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.5 Toronto Raptors Series tied 3-3 Western Conference Playoffs: Semifinal Round Game 1: No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves Series 0-0 Game 1: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Los Angeles Lakers Series 0-0 Game 2: No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves MIN led series 1-0 Game 2: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Los Angeles Lakers OKC led series 1-0 Eastern Conference Playoffs: Semifinal Round Game 1: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers Series 0-0 Game 1: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers Series 0-0 Game 2: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers NYK led series 1-0 Game 2: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers DET led series 1-0 - NBA - - "Magic [All Gone]:" Following their collapse & loss in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs series against the Detroit Pistons, the Orlando Magic have dismissed HC Jamahl Mosley, per ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday morning - - Mosley, 47, spent the past five (5) seasons with Orlando, leading the team out of a rebuild and into the playoffs each of the past three (3) seasons - - They failed to advance past the first round in any of them after they lost in seven (7) games to the top-seeded Detroit Pistons this season, blowing a 3-1 series lead - - Mosley led the Magic to two division titles and three (3) consecutive winning seasons while dealing with a litany of injuries to key starters, particularly over the previous two years, as he finished his Orlando tenure with a 189-221 overall record. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Orlando Magic dismissing HC Jamahl Mosley following their epic collapse in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series?. . . - MLB - - Ted Turner, the former owner of the Atlanta Braves and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks who made his mark as a media mogul & philanthropist, has died at the age of 87 - he passed away Wednesday at his home near Tallahassee, Florida, according to a family spokesman - - In September 2018, Turner revealed that he was battling Lewy body dementia, an ailment that causes a progressive decline in mental abilities with physical signs & symptoms similar to Parkinson's Disease - - Turner purchased the Braves in January 1976 following a 67-94 season by the club - - He helped open baseball's free agent price wars by signing pitcher Andy Messersmith shortly after buying the team and once managed the club for a day on May 11, 1977 - and he also led the team to a World Series victory in 1995 - - In addition to owning the Braves, Turner bought a majority stake in the Hawks in 1977, as he said at the time that he purchased the team to keep it from moving out of the Atlanta area: The Hawks made the playoffs 15 times during Turner's ownership, and the club retired a jersey in honor of him in 2004 - - Turner made his fortune in media, taking over the family business and renaming it Turner Communications Group in 1970, and he began his empire by purchasing two stations in Atlanta & Charlotte, North Carolina - - In 1976, he launched TBS to millions across America, as the station's signal was carried via satellite, and four (4) years later, he furthered his reach by creating the 24-hour cable news network, CNN, a move that transformed the news business - - TNT, created in 1988, increased Turner's footprint in the media landscape - - Time Warner assumed ownership of the Braves & Hawks in 1996 when Turner sold his business to the company for $7.3 billion in stock - - A year later, TBS became the owner of the NHL expansion Thrashers, who relocated & became the Winnipeg Jets in 2011, and in 1986, he created the Goodwill Games - - Later in life, Turner focused on philanthropy, pledging $1 billion to benefit the United Nations, and he was also committed to The Giving Pledge - - Turner married three (3) times, most famously to Jane Fonda from 1991 to 2001, and he is currently survived by five (5) children, 14 grandchildren & two great-grandchildren. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the untimely passing of former Atlanta Braves owner, Ted Turner, at the age of 87?. . . - Miscellaneous - - 152nd Kentucky Derby: Golden Tempo charged from the back of the pack Saturday to make history for her - - Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Golden Tempo navigated past 17 horses around the final turn and made a hard charge down the stretch - - With a crowd of more than 100,000 watching & roaring at Churchill Downs, Golden Tempo passed morning-line favorite Renegade - ridden by Jose's brother Irad - just before the wire to win by a neck, as the winning time for the 1 1/4-mile race was 2:02:27 - - **NOTE: Trainer Cherie DeVaux made history, becoming the first woman to ever prep the winner of America's most famous horse race, and she joined Jena Antonucci, who trained Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont, as the only women to train the winner of a Triple Crown race - - Golden Tempo entered with 23-1 odds, whereas the betting favorite, Renegade (5-1) and Ocelli (70-1) took second & third, respectively - - Golden Tempo, the son of two-time Horse of the Year, Curlin, had run well during show efforts in the Lousiana Derby and Risen Star Stakes but wasn't considered a serious contender in the Run of the Roses - - While she has the Kentucky Derby in her pocket, Cherie DeVaux would not commit to running Golden Tempo in the Preakness on May 16 in Baltimore, saying she would see how the horse responded before making a decision - - Prior to DeVaux's big win, the closest a female trainer had come to the winner's circle came in 1992 with the place showing of Casual Lies, prepped by Shelley Riley. . .Golf: If LIV Golf can't survive beyond this season without Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund's purse strings, two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau said Tuesday that he's prepared to grow his YouTube channel and play in tournaments that want him - - DeChambeau, 31, said he had some conversations with the PGA, and while he didn't get into specifics, he suggested that the PGA Tour is prepared to hit him with severe penalties if he wants to come back - - DeChambeau was one of this biggest stars to join the breakaway circuit in June 2022, and he was among 11 golfers who sued the PGA Tour later that year, alleging it used its monopoly power to unfairly suspend players who joined LIV Golf - - However, he withdrew from the federal lawsuit in May 2023 - - DeChambeau suggested that LIV Golf and the PGA Tour need to work together to reunify men's professional golf - as the PGA Tour seems to have the most leverage now, after the PIF announced last week that it will no longer fund the circuit with $30 million purses. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the possibility of Bryson DeChambeau's potential return to the PGA Tour if LIV Golf disbands?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Tradition's Finest Episode 133 - "The Hick from French Lick Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 133 - "The Hick from French Lick Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: The NCAA has initiated the final steps to expand the men's & women's college basketball tournaments to 76 teams, sources told ESPN Tuesday evening - - The expansion, which has been discussed for well over a year, is on track to be formalized in the upcoming weeks and would begin this coming season - - Sources indicated mid-May as a potential timeframe for an announcement, although there are still steps to take in terms of approvals via various NCAA committees - - Once the contracts are completed, the NCAA also would need approval from various committees, including the men's & women's basketball committees, the men's & women's basketball oversight committees, the Division I cabinet and the Division I board of governors - - The added finances would cover the additional logistics cost for both the men's & women's tournaments - - The primary driver of this expansion hasn't been money, but rather access for at-large bids for power conferences - the expansion has been pushed primarily by power conferences, which have grown throughout the course of the current deal - - The mechnics of the expansion in the men's tournament would include eight (8) additional at-large bids, and what's known now as the First Four, would include eight (8) teams playing four (4) games in Dayton, Ohio, would expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two sites, one of which was expected to remain in Dayton, and the location of the new site has yet to be determined - - The expansion would lead to an additional eight (8) men's games, meaning the Tuesday & Wednesday of the NCAA Tournament would features 24 of the 76 men's teams, that number now includes eight (8) teams who would have qualified for the traditional bracket that would sqaure off against the eight (8) at-large additions - - The traditional 64-team men's bracket would still begin on Thursday and look much of the same, with the major difference being that more teams would qualify as traditional "at-large" bids, that would have to play earlier than the 64-team bracket. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA initiating the final steps to expand the men's and women's basketball tournaments to 76 teams?. . .NCAA College Football: "A Sorsby Dilemma:"Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby will take an "immediate indefinite leave of absence" from the football program as he enters a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, the school announced Monday, as the NCAA is investigating Sorsby's gambling, industry sources told The Athletic - - Sorsby, a fifth-year senior, transferred to Texas Tech in January as one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal after two seasons at Cincinnati - - Following the news, Texas Tech has said that it is committed to supporting Sorsby through his recovery process, but there is no announced timetable for Sorsby's treatment or his return to the Red Raiders - - Industry sources confirmed an ESPN report that Sorsby bet on Indiana football in 2022 while he was a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers, as his gambling continued since then, according to sources, but the full extent is not yet clear - - Industry sources also informed The Athletic that Sorsby attended Cincinnati Reds' games on repeated occasions and placed live wagers on balls & strikes, with bets ranging anywhere from $2.50 to less than a $1 per pitch - and he placed a significant number of wagers in recent years - as the overwhelming majority were for smaller dollar amounts on various sports, including live bets on UFC matches, which is allowable under NCAA rules as long as the athlete is of legal betting age, primarily because the UFC is not a sport in which the NCAA hosts a sanctioned championship - - Sources who have reviewed the betting data told On3, dating back to 2022, he placed more than $20k wagers and at one point averaged 20 bets per day - - The NCAA is likely to permanently ban Sorsby, or for the QB to be deemed ineligible, pending their investigation - - According to updated NCAA sports betting guidelines passed in 2023, players who bet on games involving their own school face potential permanent loss of eligibility, which also applies if they engaged in activities to influence the outcome or knowingly provide insider information to people involved in sports betting, and also, last October, all three (3) NCAA divisions passed a rule change allowing players and staff to bet on pro sports, but the rule was rescinded a month later when more than two-thirds of Division I schools voted to rescind the change - - Sorsby only has one year of eligibility remaining, and so, if he returns to football but is ruled ineligible by the NCAA, he could choose to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, which typically takes place in July or August - as former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor was selected in the 2011 Supplemental Draft after facing suspension by the NCAA over the Ohio State tattoo/memorabilia scandal. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the news/story surrounding Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby? How do you anticipate this story playing out: will the NCAA allow him to return to Texas Tech for his final year of remaining eligibility? Or will he be deemed ineligible?. . . - NFL - - New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel and former sideline reporter Dianna Russini were "all over each other," at a secluded bar in New York City six (6) years ago before they were caught holding hands & hugging at an Arizona resort - as depicted in the exclusive new pics obtained by Page Six, the Patriots' coach and NFL reporter were spotted together inside the dimly lit Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of May 2020 - - They sat close to one another while conversing at the bar, and at one point, they appeared to share a kiss - - At the time the pictures were captured, Vrabel was working as the HC of the Tennessee Titans, while Russini was an NFL reporter at ESPN - - And just when you think this story couldn't get any stranger, some new information has come to light: Apparently, following a four-game skid back in 2022, when Vrabel was still the HC of the Titans, Russini made him a Spotify playlist titled "Turnin The Page," as the playlist was an attempt from Russini to help cheer up Vrabel in the midst of a tough stretch of football. . .Let's break it down, shall we?: We have Latto's "Big Energy" sandwiched between two Beyonce tracks, followed by the awful, bro-country anthem "House Party" by Sam Hunt, and a bunch of pop & electronic slip. . .Q: What are your thoughts surrounding the ongoing Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal?. . .The Minnesota Vikings traded Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, the teams announced last Friday night - - In return, the Vikings received a third-round pick in 2026 (No.98 overall pick) and another third-rounder in 2027, as the Vikings also sent the No.244 pick in this year's draft to the Eagles - - Greenard, who turns 29 in May, had been seeking a new contract along with a pay raise, and he landed such a deal with the Eagles, signing a four-year, $100 million deal, according to a league source, with $50 million guaranteed - - While the Vikings didn't necessarily want to move Greenard, this outcome provided the team with extra draft capital and more financial flexibility, as well as a runaway for third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner to continue to develop & ascend in the league - - In the aftermath of this move, the Vikings are likely to use at least one of their remaining premium draft picks on the defensive line or the edge rusher position. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles acquiring edge rusher Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings?. . .2026 NFL Draft Recap & Analysis: The 2026 NFL Draft wasn't short on excitement: QB Ty Simpson to the Rams midway through the first round? Big defensive additions for the Cowboys? A dynamic RB to the Cardinals? Two brothers going to the same secondary? Eight (8) trades on Day 1 and 41 across all three (3) days? - - That was fun!. .Now we take it all in and try to make sense of the picks: Which teams nailed their selections from start to finish, tackling needs, sticking to the board & actively getting better? Which teams found steals in some places but reached in others? And which teams made real head-scratching moves, missing big opportunities to get value or fill a hole on the roster? In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and analyze some of the most notable picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, provide their individual input regarding some of the most buzzworthy picks across the league: The 2026 NFL Draft began last Thursday in Pittsburgh with the Las Vegas Raiders making former Indiana QB ___________________ the No.1 overall pick - - The New York Jets selected former Texas Tech EDGE ___________________ with the No.2 overall pick - - The Arizona Cardinals selected former Notre Dame RB _____________________ with the No.3 overall pick, while the Tennessee Titans selected former Ohio State WR __________________ with the No.4 pick - - The New York Giants selected former Ohio State LB __________________, while the Kansas City Chiefs completed the trade to move up for the No.6 overall pick, for which they used on former LSU CB _______________________ - - The Washington Commanders selected former Ohio State LB _________________, while the New Orleans Saints selected former Arizona State WR _________________ with the No.8 pick - - The Cleveland Browns completed a trade to move up in the draft, selecting former Utah OT ___________________ with the No.9 overall pick, while the New York Giants via a trade with Cincinnati, selected former Miami OT _____________________**Be Sure to Tune in for The T.F. Podcast: 2026 NFL Draft Review. . . .At No.13, the Los Angeleds Rams shocked analysts and social media alike, by selecting former Alabama WR _________________, whose accuracy, poise & ability to move outside of the pocket will fit perfectly in HC Sean McVay's offense - - **NOTE: Following the Rams' pick at No.13, the University of Alabama has 51 first-round draft picks since 2009, meanwhile, the Rams became the first team to have a QB win MVP then select a QB in the first round of the subsequent NFL Draft since the Packers in 1967 (i.e., Bart Storr won MVP in 1966, and Green Bay drafted Don Horn No.25 overall the following year). . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Los Angeles Rams drafting QB Ty Simposon with the No.13 overall pick?. . .Quite possibly the most intriguing pick of this year's draft was the Atlanta Falcons with the No.48 overall pick: The Falcons selected former Clemson CB Avieon Terrell, the brother of star CB A.J. Terrell, a former first-round pick for Atlanta - - Saturday's four (4) rounds of draft concluded with the Denver Broncos making Red Murdock with No.257 pick, aka Mr. Irrelevant. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Ram's Ty Simpson the No.13 overall pick in this year's draft? What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons pairing CB Avieon Terrell alongside his brother & Falcons' CB1 A.J. Terrell? Which teams would you categorized as "winners" and/or "losers" of the 2026 NFL Draft?. . . - NBA - - "Kia Most Improved Player:"Nickeil Alexander-Walker was named this season's Most Improved Player last Friday, marking the second straight Atlanta Hawks' player to win the award - - Alexander-Walker, the cousin of reigninig NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, averaged a career-high 20.8 points, 3.7 assists & 3.4 rebounds to go along with 1.3 steals per game - - He also averaged career highs in blocks, FG% and 3-point FG% - - The 6-foot-5 guard increased his scoring by 11.4 points and averaging 9.4 points coming off the bench for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2024-25 season, which is the third-highest increase from one season to the next over the past 25 years - - Alexander-Walker follows teammate Dyson Daniels, who won the award last season - - **NOTE: This is the first time in the award's history that two straight winners have come from the same team - - In his seventh season, Alexander-Walker thrived with the Hawks: he helped Atlanta remain a playoff team, and he scored in double figures in 76 games and made 251 3-pointers in 2025-26, a single-season franchise record and fourth most in the league this season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker being named the 2025-26 Kia's Most Improved Player?. . ."NBA ROY:" Teenage sensation Cooper Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Monday, narrowly defeating his former Duke roommate, Kon Knueppel for the honor - - Flagg edged Knueppel by 26 points in the voting by a panel of 100 media members: Flagg received 56 first-place votes, while Knueppel received 55 second-place votes & one third place - - **NOTE: The 19-year-old Flagg became the second-youngest player to win the way, behind only LeBron James, as the 26-point voting gap between Flagg & Knueppel, 20, is the second smallest between the top finishers in a rookie of the year race since the current voting format began in the 2002-03 campaign, according to the NBA: Only the race between Scottie Barnes (378 points) and Evan Mobley (363) in the 2021-22 season had a smaller gap - - Flagg, the No.1 pick in last year's draft, averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds & 4.5 assists per game for the Dallas Mavericks, joining Larry Bird, Michael Jordan & Luke Doncic as the only rookies to average at least 20 points, six (6) rebounds & four (4) assists in the 50 seasons since the NBA-ABA merger, and he led all rookies in scoring, ranked second among qualifiers in assists and third in rebounds - - Knueppel, the No.4 pick, averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds & 3.5 assists while shattering the rookie record for 3-pointers made with a league-leading 272, as he played a major role in a midseason turnaround for the Charlotte Hornets, who made a 25-win improvement from last season to finish 44-38 before being eliminated in the Eastern Conference play-in round, whereas Flagg's Mavericks finished 26-56 overall, and he joined Jordan as the only rookies in NBA history to lead their teams in scoring, rebounding, assists & steals - - Flagg was the only player in the NBA this season to lead his team in each of those categories - - Flagg, who turned 19 on Dec.21, had a historic season for a teenager: **NOTE: He became the youngest player in NBA history to have games of 35, 40, 45, and 50 points, as well as the youngest to have at least 10 assists. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Cooper Flagg edging out Kon Knueppel for the 2025-26 NBA ROY Award?. . .A "Guilty" Plea: Former NBA player & assistant coach Damon Jones became the first person to plead guilty Tuesday in a gambling sweep that led to the arrests of more than 30 people, including reputed mobster & other basketball figures, including former Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups - - During back-to-back hearings in Brooklyn federal court, Jones entered guilty pleas to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in what prosecutors say were sports betting & rigged poker game schemes - - He acknowledged that he conspired with others to defraud sports betting companies by using "insider information that I obtained as a result of my relationships as a former player" - - He said the goal of the sports betting conspiracy, which ran from December 2022 to March 2024 was to use his insider knowledge - which prosecutors say involved non-public information about injuries to NBA star - to make money from sportsbooks - - He also acknowledged that his actions violated the NBA's code of conduct and also the terms of service on sports betting websites - - During his second hearing, Jones admitted that he was paid to act as a "face card" at poker games in Miami and the Hamptons by using his NBA celebrity to "lure high-end bettors" to the table - - In the sports betting case, the sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 21-27 months in prison, whereas in the poker games case, Jones would face 63-78 months in prison, but prosecutors agreed to subtract 15 months from the sentence in exchange for Jones pleading guilty, which would put his potential sentence at 48-63 months in prison if the judge follows the guidelines - - In additon to facing prison time, Jones also agreed to forfeit a totla of $73,000 in the two cases. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Damon Jones being the first defendant in the sports betting & rigged poker games cases plead guilty?. . .2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review & recap the following first-round playoff series: **Be Sure to Tune in for a Full Recap of the first round playoff series. . . Eastern Conference Playoffs: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.8 Orlando Magic No.2 Boston Celtics vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.6 Atlanta Hawks No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.5 Toronto Raptors Western Conference Playoffs: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.8 Phoneix Suns No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.7 Portland Trail Blazers No.3 Denver Nuggets vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves No.4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No.5 Houston Rockets Thanks for Listening!

Tradition's Finest Episode 132 - "The 1 + Magic Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 132 - "The 1 + Magic Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: ⭐[First-Ever] 2026 Tradition's Finest NFL Mock Draft ⭐ NOTE/DISCLAIMER: **Projected Picks Were Selected PRIOR to Actual Draft. . . In Recognition of This Year's NFL Draft, and Using the Current Draft Order, This Week's Episode Features JD & Spencer - Two Longtime Sports' Fans (but NOT longtime ESPN Draft Analysts) - Who Construct an NFL Mock Draft by Predicting the First-Round Selections for Each of the Initial Thirty-Two (32) Picks Based on Individual/Franchise Team Need(s), Overall Positional Value & ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Rankings. . .**Tune in to this Week's Episode to Hear Their Picks, and Be Sure to Share Your Draft Projections/Selections, and Thoughts of the Actual Picks from the First Round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday Evening, on X - @TraditionFinest or Send a Message to Traditions.Finest@gmail.com. . . Thanks for Listening!