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

Tradition's Finest Episode 138 - "The Bust of All Time Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 138 - "The Bust of All Time Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: Posthumously, Mike Leach is on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, following an adjustment to eligibility criteria for coaches - - Leach, whose use of the Air Raid offense, widespread coaching tree and distinct personality left a significant impression of the sport, had been kept off previous ballots because his career winning percentage at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State - 158-107 (.596) - fell just below the previous threshold of .600 - - In 2025, the National Football Foundation, which oversees the Hall of Fame, announced that the winning percentage required for coaching eligibility would be adjusted to .595, whereas the other requirements for coaches to become eligible for selection, including ten or more years as a HC and at least 100 games coached, have not changed and/or remain the same - - Leach died in December 2022 at the age of 61 from complications related to a heart condition, while still coaching at Mississippi State - - **NOTE: He won division titles at both Texas Tech and Washington State, where his 2018 team finished the season ranked No.10 nationally, and guided teams to bowl appearances in all but two seasons at his three (3) head coaching stops - - Leach's previous ineligibility for the Hall of Fame garnered extensive criticism of the process involved in selection, from many coaches, media members & fans - as Leach coached or hired many notable coaches throughout his pristine career, including USC's Lincoln Riley, TCU's Sonny Dykes, Oklahoma State's Eric Morris, Baylor's Dave Aranda & Tennessee's Josh Heupel, among others - - Similarly, Jackie Sherrill, who had a career winning percentage of .592 at Washington State, Pitt, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, also appeared on the ballot for the first time, as Sherrill had six (6) AP top-10 finishes, including a No.2 overall ranking while at Pitt in 1980 - - Other notable players on this year's ballot include Auburn QB Cam Newton and Baylor QB Robert Griffin III, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2010 and 2011, respectively, as well as Ohio State LB A.J. Hawk and Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon, both national award winners - - **NOTE: The 2027 ballot includes 80 players and nine (9) coaches from the FBS level, and 99 players & 39 coaches from other NCAA or NAIA divisions, while the next Hall of Fame class will be announced in January 2027, during the College Football Playoff. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the late Mike Leach being included on the HOF ballot for the first time after the career winning percentage for eligibility was adjusted to .595?. . ."You Can't Make This Up:" Jordyn Adams spent the better part of eight (8) years pursuing one sports dream, but now he's returning to another: The former five-star football recruit & first-round MLB draft pick has enrolled at SMU and plans to join the Mustangs football program, a source confirmed to CBS Sports - - Adams was once considered one of the country's premier high school athletes - a standout WR at Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina - he finished his prep career ranked as the No.3 WR in the 2018 class and the No.14 overall prospect nationally - - **NOTE: The only WRs ranked ahead of Adams in the Class of 2018 were future NFL stars: Amon-Ra St. Brown & Ja'Marr Chase - - While in high school, Adams signed with North Carolina and intended to play both football & baseball, but those plans changed when the Los Angeles Angels selected him with the No.17 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and signed him away from college on a deal worth more than $3 million, which was a decision that launched a professional baseball career that stretched from 2018 up until just a couple weeks ago, when he last appeared in a Triple-A game on May 20 with the Nashville Sounds - - Adams made his major league debut in 2023, as he appeared in 17 games for the Angels that season and returned for 11 more games in 2024, after which point, he departed the Angels' organization, spending time with the Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers' organizations - - In total, Adams played 38 MLB games, collecting 13 hits, six (6) runs scored, one HR and five (5) RBIs - as he spent the bulk of his career in the minor leagues, appearing in 678 games and accumulating more than 2,400 at-bats, while showcasing the athleticism that once made him one of the nation's top football recruits - - After his baseball career came to a close last month, rather than continuing to pursue another opportunity in the MLB, Adams has elected to revisit the sport many believed could have carried him to a professional career as well - - As for now, Adams remains eligible to play college football for SMU, but the NCAA continues to debate significant eligibility changes, for instance, last month Division I leaders discussed an age-based "five-for-five" model that would give athletes five (5) years to compete beginning immediately after high school graduation or their 19th birthday - whichever comes first, as this type of proposal could impact cases like Adams in the future - - Adams never enrolled, however, at UNC after signing with the Angels, and so, because he went directly into the MLB and never played college football, his eligibility situation differs from that of a traditional college athlete. . .Q: What is your most current take (or stance) on a situation such as that of Jordyn Adams? Should Jordyn Adams, a former eight-year MLB player, be considered eligible by the NCAA to play college football for the SMU Mustangs next season? If so, why?. . .NCAA College Basketball: Former Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic, the No.1 player in the NCAA transfer portal this spring, has committed to Kentucky, he announced on Monday - - Momcilovic chose the Wildcats over Louisville and Arizona, meanwhile, St. John's was also among the schools in pursuit as recently as last week, but the Red Storm bowed out after landing Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou - - Momcilovic, a 6-foot-8 junior, was the best shooter in college basketball last season: he averaged 16.9 points and shot 48.7% from 3-point range, leading the nation in 3-point percentage and ranking fifth in 3-pointers made - - **NOTE: In his three (3) seasons in Ames, Iowa State won 83 games and made two Sweet 16 appearances, as Momcilovic earned second-team All-Big 12 honors last season - - It's impossible to overstate the significance of Momcilovic's addition for the outlook of the Kentucky Wildcats - as well as for head coach Mark Pope, who is entering a pivotal season, coming off a campaign in which the Wildcats struggled for long stretches and finished 22-14 with a second-round NCAA tournament exit despite having the nation's most expensive roster - as with Momcilovic in the fold, and after starting center Malachi Moreno withdrew his name from the NBA Draft last week, Pope now has a top-25 roster on his hands entering the 2026-27 college basketball season - - Kentucky has leaned heavily on the portal this offseason, as Momcilovic will likely join fellow transfers Alex Wilkins (Furman) and Zoom Diallo (Washington) in the Wildcats' starting lineup - - After announcing his intent in early April to enter the transfer portal and the NBA Draft, he went through the entire draft process, earning an invitation to the combine, as he cemented himself as one of the elite shooters in the pool of players, shooting nearly 69% across the four (4) shooting drills, but removed his name hours before the draft's early-entry withdrawal deadline. . .Q: What do you make of Milan Momcilovic's decision to remove his name from the NBA Draft and to transfer to the University of Kentucky?. . .NCAA College Softball: Women's College World Series (WCWS) Semifinals: No.2 Texas Longhorns vs. No.7 Tennessee Volunteers - - Teagan Kavan pitched her fifth career shutout in the Women's College World Series and Texas defeated No.7 seed Tennessee twice on Monday to advance to the championship series - - The No.2 seed Longhorns, who had to advance through the loser's bracket after falling to the Vols in the tournament opener, won Monday's first game 5-2, and then rolled again 4-0 behind Kavan's gem - - **NOTE: Texas joined Oklahoma as the only other NCAA program to reach three (3) consecutive WCWS championship finals - - Texas had the pitching, as Teagan Kavan, who surrendered three (3) runs before being pulled after three (3) innings in the WCWS opener, rebounded to cruise past the Vols, outdueling Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens, as Kavan surrendered only two hits and struck out 10 batters in the deciding game - - The Longhorns also got a sterling performance on the circle from Citlaly Gutierrez in the first game, as the senior went 6 2/3 innings, allowing just one earned run, before handing the ball off to Kavan, who picked up the one-out save - - **NOTE: With her performance, Kavan passed Cat Osterman for the most WCWS shutouts in Texas history, and she has now allowed one or fewer earned runs in nine (9) of her 11 career WCWS starts - - Women's College World Series (WCWS) Semifinals 2: No.1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No.11 Texas Tech Red Raiders - - In just a matter of hours, Alabama went from the winners' bracket to ending its season in the WCWS semifinals: The No.1 seed Crimson Tide (56-9) fell 2-0 to the No.11 seed Red Raiders (60-8) to solidify its fate in a do-or-die game after suffering a first 5-4 loss to Texas Tech on Monday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City: In Game 1, Texas Tech forced the winner-take-all game with a walk-off win in Monday's opener, thanks to a 7th inning HR by Mia Williams - - In Game 2, the Red Raiders picked up right where they left off after the first game, as Texas Tech started the second game with a hit in its first at-bat, and by the end of the 3rd inning, the Red Raiders tallied four (4) hits, whereas Alabama, prevented Texas Tech from capitalizing on any of them while the Crimson Tide was trying to get its offense going - - Alabama finally got a hit in the bottom of the 3rd, but it couldn't turn that into a run - but then, to open the 4th, Texas Tech's Jasmyn Burns rocketed a pitch to center field, giving the Red Raiders a 1-0 lead, and while the lead did not seem like much, it almost felt insurmountable with the way NiJaree Canady was pitching: Alabama struggled to get into any type of groove offensively against her, and she pitched all seven (7) innings of the second game, allowing only two hits, no runs, one walk & striking out six (6) batters - - Meanwhile, by the 6th inning, Alabama ace Jocelyn Briski was running out of steam, and after she gave up an eighth hit for the game with two runners on and no outs, the Crimson Tide swapped Briski out for Vic Moten, as the freshman pitcher got Alabama out of the jam without allowing another run or hit, however, Texas Tech added to its lead in the top of the 7th when a single up the middle allowed Mihyia Davis to advance to 3rd base, after which a Crimson Tide throwing error opened the door for her to run home & increase the Red Raiders' lead to 2-0 - - Alabama got the tying run to the plate after Audrey Vandagriff doubled down the left-field line, but Ambrey Taylor popped up to left to end the game, and send the Crimson Tide home three (3) wins short of a national title - - Shockingly & overall, the Red Raiders out-hit the Crimson Tide, 10-2, but Alabama's inability to get much anything going at the plate in the second game ultimately ended the Crimson Tide's spectacular season. . .Q: What were your thoughts on a Texas-Texas Tech WCWS Finals rematch? - - Women's College World Series (WCWS) Finals: Game 1: No.2 Texas Longhorns vs. No.11 Texas Tech Red Raiders - - Teagan Kavan pitched a complete-game three-hitter, Katie Stewart hit her fourth HR in as many games, and Texas opened the WCWS championship round with a 7-3 victory over Texas Tech on Wednesday night - - The No.2 seed Longhorns (52-12) could potentially wrap up their second consecutive national championship with a victory in Game 2 on Thursday night - - **NOTE: Winners of Game 1 have gone on to win the title 80% of the time since the best-of-three (3) series format began in 2005 - - Tech took a 1-0 lead on a solo HR by Mihyia Davis with one out in the 1st inning, but that lead didn't last long as Texas scored five (5) runs in the bottom of the 1st, as Stewart's two-run homer that cleared the bleachers in center field gave Texas a 2-1 lead - it was her seventh career HR in WCWS, including one in each of the past four (4) games, which is the first time that's ever happened in WCWS history - - Teagan Kavan cruised into the 5th, not allowing another hit until Mia Williams went deep to straightaway center field for her 27th HR of the season, a two-run blast that made it 6-3 - as Kavan (29-6) , the WCWS most outstanding player in the Longhorns' run to the 2025 championship, finished with six (6) strikeouts, two walks & a hit batter, as it was her 10th career win in WCWS, tied for the most all time - - Meanwhile, Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco took NiJaree Canady, the two-time national pitcher of the year, out of the game after she faced six (6) batters in relief in the 1st and 2nd innings, however, she was listed as the Red Raiders' presumptive starter in Game 2 of the series - - This was the first WCWS championship rematch since UCLA defeated Cal in 2003 and 2004, the last two title games before the championship was implemented. . .Q: Following the Longhorns' win in Game 1 of the WCWS Finals, did you think that No.2 seed Texas would close the series out in Game 2? Or would the series go three (3) games?. . - NFL - - "CBS Country, Let's Ride:" Ten-time Pro Bowl QB Russell Wilson confirmed Wednesday in a video posted to social media that he's retiring from the NFL to take a job with CBS Sports - - Wilson, who also had an offer on the table from the New York Jets to join the franchise as a backup to starting QB Geno Smith, decided to embark on a new career path as an NFL analyst - - Wilson, who won a Super Bowl and the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award during his career, is now set to leave the NFL as a player to become an analyst on the network's pregame show that includes James Brown, Nate Burleson & Bill Cowher - - Wilson will replace Matt Ryan with CBS after the former QB left the network this offseason to return to the Atlanta Falcons as the organization's president of football operations - - Wilson, 37, has thrown for 46,966 yards, 353 TDs and 114 INTs during a career which includes 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, two with the Denver Broncos, one with the Pittsburgh Steelers & last season with the New York Giants - - **NOTE: His passing yardage is the fifth most in the NFL since 2012, when he was selected by the Seahawks in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, trailing only Matthew Stafford (56,676), Tom Brady (49,235), Aaron Rodgers (48,908) and Matty Ice (48,554). . .Q: What was your initial reaction to the news announcement Monday that QB Russell Wilson was leaving the NFL as a player to become a sports analyst on CBS?. . ."A Blockbuster Trade:" The Cleveland Browns have agreed to trade two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year & DE Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Jared Verse and multiple draft picks, the teams announced Monday - - The Browns receives a first-round draft pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028 and a third-rounder in 2029 in what is one of the biggest or most significant trades in NFL history involving a defensive player - - The shocking trade, however, is completely "on brand" for the L.A. Rams, who made a similarly seismic move in the 2021 offseason when they completed a trade with the Detroit Lions for QB Matthew Stafford - - The Rams' interest in Garrett sparked shortly after the Browns modified the contract of the seven-time Pro Bowl DE in March, pushing back the option bonuses from the 15th day of the league year in March to a week before the start of the NFL regular season, making it easier to trade him, while the Browns at the time, had zero interest in trading Garrett - but the Rams refused to give up what one source referred to as their "persistent pursuit" of Garrett, just kept calling & calling - as it was the sole franchise that tried to pry loose a player the Cleveland Browns' front office once deemed "untouchable." - - **NOTE: The trade not only lands Garrett in Los Angeles - and with a winning franchise - but also relocates the two-time DPOY to the city where his girlfriend resides - and it also marks a homecoming for Jared Verse, who was born in Dayton, Ohio - - Meanwhile, Sportsbooks reacted quickly to the reported trade, with DraftKings moving the Rams from 8-1 to 13-2 to win the Super Bowl. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NFL's blockbuster trade that landed two-time DPOY Myles Garrett in Los Angeles and Jared Verse in Cleveland? Following the trade, are the Rams now the clear favorites for you to win Super Bowl LXI?. . "[Worst] Kept Secret:" The Philadelphia Eagles agreed Monday to trade star WR A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots for a first-round pick in 2028 and a 2027 fifth-round pick - - The fifth-round selection will be the better of New England's two picks in that round of next year's draft, sources told ESPN - - The trade, which has been discussed and anticipated across the NFL for months, reunites Brown and Patriots' head coach Mike Vrabel - - Brown, who turns 29 on June 30, gives Patriots QB Drake Maye a true No.1 target as part of a revamped top of the WR depth chart alongside free agent signing Romeo Doubs - - The Eagles, likewise, have planned for Brown's departure all offseason, trading up in this year's draft for USC WR Makai Lemon, while also trading for Green Bay Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks and signing Hollywood Brown & Elijah Brown as free agents - - Since entering the league as a second-round selection of the Vrabel-led Tennessee Titans in 2019, Brown is fourth in the league in both receiving yards (8,029) and TD catches (56) - - Although Brown left his mark in Philadelphia, where he recorded the highest single-season receiving yards totals in franchise history in 2022 and 2023, his frustration with the Eagles' offense continued to grow, especially over the previous two seasons - - The Patriots inherit Brown's contract, which runs through the 2029 season and averaged $32 million per season, which is the seventh highest in the NFL among WRs, as New England was one of Brown's preferred trade destinations, in part because of his on- and off-field relationship with Vrabel, whom of which he played for in Tennessee from 2019 to 2021. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Eagles-Patriots trade that landed WR A.J. Brown in New England?. . ."Madden NFL 27:" Caleb Williams had an unshakeable premonition that his time with the Chicago Bears would take the franchise to heights it had rarely seen, and he took a step toward that promise Wednesday when EA Sports announced he will be the cover athlete for “Madden NFL 27,” the first player in Bears history to earn that distinction: Williams enters the 2026 season with a 90 overall rating - - In his first season playing under Bears HC Ben Johnson, Williams threw for 3,942 yards and 27 TDs - setting a franchise single-season passing record - while leading Chicago to its first divisional title since 2018 and first playoff win in 15 years, and in doing so, he emerged as one of the NFL's most exciting QBs - - He and the aptly named “Cardiac Bears” made history with their seven (7) comeback wins, including playoffs, after trailing in the 4th QTR - - The Standard Edition cover features Williams' signature jump pass, remembered best by a 4th-and-8 throw to Rome Odunze as the Bears fought back from an 18-point deficit to beat the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, with the Chicago skyline in the background - - The 2025 NFL Moment of the Year - Williams' 46-yard walk-off TD pass to DJ Moore to beat Green Bay in OT in Week 16 - will be represented on the Deluxe Edition in the form of Williams' “Iceman” celebration - - “Madden NFL 27” is set for a full release on all consoles on August 13. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams being the cover athlete for Madden NFL 27?. . . - NBA - - 2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals as well as Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals (list included below): Western Conference Finals: Game 7: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.2 San Antonio Spurs  [Series tied 3-3] 2026 NBA Finals: Game 1: No.2 San Antonio Spurs (Western Conf. champ) vs. No.3 New York Knicks (Eastern Conf. champ)    [Series 0-0] - NBA (cont'd) - - "Magic [in] Me:" The Orlando Magic have announced the hiring of San Antonio Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney as the franchise's new HC - - Sweeney, who has spent this season as San Antonio's lead assistant, will replace Jamahl Mosley, who was fired after the Magic lost 4-3 to Detroit in their first-round series and has since become the HC of the New Orleans Pelicans - - Sweeney will finish the remainder of the postseason on the Spurs' bench with San Antonio hosting the New York Knicks for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night - - Former Chicago Bulls HC Billy Donovan and LA Clippers assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy were also finalists for the Magic's coaching vacancy - - A decision was finally made to offer the job to Sweeney, who blew Orlando away during his interview process and meeting with ownership Wednesday in San Antonio, sources added - - Sweeney ran San Antonio's defense for Coach of the Year finalist Mitch Johnson this season, guiding an improvement from 25th to third in the NBA's defensive efficiency rankings and garnering praise from the team's young stars Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle - - **NOTE: The Spurs also ranked top-five in defending isolations, on-ball screens, drives and rim protection, according to ESPN Research - - Under Sweeney, the Spurs made a 28-win improvement to a 62-20 campaign - tied for the third-most wins in franchise history - and have advanced to the conference finals, as Sweeney has served as a lead assistant to a conference finalist in three (3) of the last five (5) seasons - - Sweeney's first head coaching job will be with a Magic team built to contend in the Eastern Conference with one-time NBA All-Star Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs - - Orlando has failed to make it out of the first round for three (3) straight seasons - - The Magic led top-seeded Detroit 3-1 but didn't have enough offense to close out the Pistons, especially after Wagner suffered a series-ending right calf strain in Game 4 - - Sweeney broke into NBA coaching as a video coordinator in 2011 for the then-New Jersey Nets, before moving on to the bench in Brooklyn for the 2013-14 season, and he also had stints as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks (2014-18) and the Pistons (2018-21). . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Orlando Magic hiring Spurs' assistant coach Sean Sweeney as the franchise's new HC?. . .Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has signed a 10-year, $400 million endorsement contract with Chinese company Li-Ning, ending a drawn-out recruitment process following Curry's departure from Under Armor in November - - Curry announced the end of his sneaker free agency Monday with a landmark deal at Li-Ning that expands his Curry Brand venture globally, as the agreement will include basketball products, athleisure lifestyle wear, the ability for Curry to sign male & female athletes under his brand, and a full golf line - - One factor in Curry's ultimate decision was his comfort while testing the shoes of two Li-Ning signature athletes - - Li-Ning plans to build Curry Brand stores in the United States and in China, as Curry's agent, Jeff Austin, finalized negotiations with in recent days, while the partnership was announced on social media Monday, but terms were not disclosed - - Curry split from Under Armor after a 13-year partnership, announcing a mutual divorce in November and expressing gratitude despite what industry sources said was growing frustration about the underinvestment from a brand decreasing in valuation. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Stephen Curry's decision to sign with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning on a landmark 10-year deal?. . . - Miscellaneous - - NASCAR: A member of Michael Jordan's NASCAR race team was arrested after allegedly plowing over a 77-year-old man with a golf cart she was driving at a famed race track in North Carolina: 23XI Racing employee Evanna Howell got into big trouble on Saturday, according to The California Post - - Police reportedly say Howell was driving a golf cart in the wrong direction at Charlotte Motor Speedway when she swung around, hit a curb, pushed an elderly man into a fence, and ran him over - - The alleged victim was reportedly taken to a local hospital after suffering several serious injuries, meanwhile, Howell was booked in jail on one count of assault with a deadly weapon causing serious injury - - Michael and Denny Hamlin co-own 23XI Racing, where Howell works as a senior account manager - - NASCAR says Howell had been “indefinitely suspended,” and online records show she was released from custody Tuesday on a $125,000 bond and is due back in court June 16. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the 23XI Racing team member being arrested after allegedly plowing over an elderly man on a golf cart?. . .2026 NHL Stanley Cup Final: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Carolina Hurricanes – Game 1: It took just one shot and 25 seconds worth of game action for the Vegas Golden Knights to find themselves in a hole in the Stanley Cup Final, and midway through the opening period, they were down two goals against a fast-skating Carolina Hurricanes team riding the energy from a buzzing home crowd. . .No matter, and no panic. . .Not with these tested Golden Knights: Tomas Hertl took a backhand pass from Colton Sissons and beat Frederik Andersen from the slot with 3:24 left in the third period, lifting the Golden Knights past the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in Tuesday night's opener of the Stanley Cup Final - - Game 2 of the best-of-seven (7) series is Thursday in Raleigh, with Vegas already having taken home ice away from the Hurricanes as it chases a second Cup title in four (4) seasons - - Hertl's finish off Sissons' feed from the right faceoff circle broke a 4-4 tie and pushed the Golden Knights ahead in an entertaining, back-and-forth start on the sport's biggest stage, as it marked Vegas' seventh straight win of the playoffs, starting with the last two games of the six-game second-round series against Anaheim and then the shocking four-game sweep of the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche - - That series included Vegas erasing a 3-0 deficit to take Game 3, and now the Golden Knights have followed by rallying from another multi-goal deficit - this time 2-0 in the opening period - against a team that finished second only to the Avs in the regular season - - Things changed after Vegas coach John Tortorella gathered his team around the bench during a TV timeout after the Hurricanes had sprinted out to their lead, coming as Vegas had a slow start out of its six-day break while waiting for Carolina to close out Montreal in a five-game Eastern Conference Final - - Shea Theodore, Ivan Barbashev and Brett Howden also scored for Vegas, with Howden's postseason-leading 11th score giving the Golden Knights a 4-3 lead just 1:21 into the third period, while goalie Carter Hart finished with 23 saves - - Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice for the Hurricanes, the first coming 25 seconds into the game when he got loose on a rush and blasted one past Hart from the left side on the game's first shot - and he followed with a breakaway that gave Carolina a 2-0 lead and sent a charged home crowd into an eruption in the team's first Stanley Cup Final game in two decades - - Jordan Staal and Shayne Gostisbehere each scored tying goals after Vegas had pushed to a lead - - The Hurricanes went 12-1 through three (3) rounds to get back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since now-coach Rod Brind'Amour captained them to the title in 2006, and it also comes amid an eight-year playoff streak that has included at least one series win every time as a regular postseason contender: Carolina swept through Ottawa and Philadelphia before taking the last four (4) games of a five-game win against Montreal to punch through an Eastern Conference Final roadblock – **NOTE: That made the Hurricanes the first team since 1983 to reach the Stanley Cup Final with one loss, and the first since the NHL went to best-of-seven (7) series in all four (4) rounds in 1987 - - Meanwhile, Vegas has been getting stronger with every playoff round, winning for 19 of 24 games going back to the unexpected late-season firing of Bruce Cassidy and replace him with Tortorella - that included the shocking result against the Avalanche, who managed just seven (7) goals in four (4) games - - Defense had been the standout feature for both teams, in fact, with Carolina having allowed two or fewer goals in 12 of 13 playoff games - but that wasn't the case in Tuesday's fast-paced series opener, with both teams capitalizing on their chances in an entertaining back-and-forth game before Hertl got Vegas the lead for good. . .Q: Although neither of us are major NHL fans, after we covered last year's Stanley Cup Final, it almost seems as though we are compelled to discuss this year's final as well, so let's do just that: What are your thoughts on Game 1 of this year's Stanley Cup Final?. . .                   Thanks for Listening!

Tradition's Finest Episode 137 - "The House That Doak Built Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 137 - "The House That Doak Built Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: "No More Cupcakes:" SEC ADs on Tuesday voted to play conference games on the second-to-last week of the regular season, eliminating what has commonly been referred to as the "cupcake" games before rivalry weekend, commissioner Greg Sankey said, as the new schedule policy is scheduled to begin in 2027 - - Sankey said the SEC has been discussing the topic for months, and ultimately needed to make decision now in time to schedule for 2027 - - Sankey said the decision wasn't driven by a desire to silence the critics, but rather, it was a result of the league transitioning to nine (9) conference games this season and playing on more weekends. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the SEC Conference's ruling to eliminate the "cupcake" games that are generally scheduled the week prior to Rivalry Week?. . .The NCAA has denied Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby's request to be reinstated as eligible for the 2026 season, even as the school president publicly backed Sorsby's desire to play for the Red Raiders this season "amid a "complex situation," - - The NCAA decision, which is in line with precedent, will put Sorsby's lawsuit against the NCAA seeking an injunction for his eligibility for the 2026 season into further focus, as his court date looms Monday in Lubbock County - - Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt indicated that he fully expected the appeal to be submitted to the NCAA by the end of the week - - In the suit, Sorsby, who filed a lawsuit in local court in Lubbock County on May 18 seeking his eligibility, acknowledged betting on thousands of sporting events as part of his gambling addiction, which included betting on Indiana football games while on the roster (as a redshirt freshman), as he did make clear that he never bet on a game he played in nor did he bet against his team, as the suit also cites the NCAA's "deeply hypocritical" position on gambling - - The news Tuesday comes in the wake of Sorsby completing his 35-day in-patient rehab for his gambling addiction in Arizona, as he's set to return to campus in the upcoming days - - While the NCAA precedent has been clear in gambling cases, it is not surprising the Sorsby's attorneys will plan to appeal their decision to deny his request for reinstatement - - Sorsby has one year of eligibility remaining, and the lawsuit revealed his lawyers asked for a two-game suspension, which the NCAA also denied. . .Q: Are you surprised to learn that the NCAA denied Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby's request for reinstatement next season? What do you expect the result of his appeal to be: (1) he will play for the Red Raiders next season OR (2) he will be watching from the sidelines?. . .NCAA College Softball: "A Potential Softball Bench-Clearing/White Chocolate:" If Florida softball was targeting Mia Williams in Sunday's Game 3 of the NCAA softball Super Regional against Texas Tech, the Gators didn't waste any time: Williams, a transfer who helped the Gators reach the Women's College World Series (WCWS) last year, was plunked by UF ace Keagen Rothrock with the first pitch of the game, and this was the fifth time in the series that Williams had been hit by a pitch - - Whether any were intentional or not, this set the stage for a game that was, if anything, upstaged and will likely be remembered more for the off-field drama rather than Texas Tech's eventual 16-7 series-deciding victory to punch its' ticket back to the WCWS - - Williams' return to Gainesville was the top storyline of the weekend, as she is the daughter of former Florida basketball player, Jason Williams (aka "White Chocolate"), who after the game expressed his displeasure with UF softball coach Tim Walton to The Gainesville Sun, part of the USA Today Network - - Jason Willianms, who has attended UF basketball games this past season, was often demonstrative in the crowd and later celebrated with the Texas Tech squad on the field after the victory - - After Mia Williams was hit with Sunday's first pitch, the Texas Tech bench started chirping at the Gators, rising tensions in the winner-take-all Game 3 - - In Williams' next at-bat, she hit a two-run HR, one of Texas Tech's eventual five (5), which featured a celebration that prompted a warning to the Red Raiders dugout - - Florida coach Tim Walton was later ejected from the game before the run-rule was induced in the 5th inning for arguing balls & strikes - but Williams' father, Jason, felt that Walton's ejection may have been premeditated: "He got kicked out because he didn't want to shake her hand," Jason Williams told The Sun - but Walton wasn't alone in avoiding postgame pleasantries: The peak of the animosity between the teams was best illustrated after the refusal to shake hands - following that decision, Texas Tech players began exchanging with Florida players, as the atmostphere spilled into the stands as fans from each side joined in - - On Barstool Sports' "Wake Up Barstool" show on Tuesday, Jason Williams stated, in reaction to the events of the Gainesville Super Regional, "The only time I'll step on Gainesville's campus again if my daughter plays softball there again," Williams, who played for the Gators in 1997-98 under Billy Donovan - - It appears "White Chocolate" will not be visiting the University of Florida campus anytime soon - even to watch his alma mater play this upcoming men's college basketball season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Texas Tech-Florida drama at the NCAA softball Super Regionals over the weekend? What do you think about Jason Williams' antics?. . . - NFL - - Green Bay Packers star RB Josh Jacobs was arrested Tuesday and booked on several domestic violence charges, according to the Hobart-Lawrence (WI) Police Department - - Jacobs, 28, was booked on charges of battery, domestic abuse, disorderly conduct and intimidation of a witness - - According to the Brown County jail record, the strangulation & suffocation charge is a felony, while the other four (4) charges are misdemeanors - - According to the records, at the time of his arrest, Jacobs was being held without bond - - Jacobs, a first-team All-Pro selection in 2022 while with the Las Vegas Raiders and a three-time Pro Bowl selection, is entering his third season with the Packers after signing with the team in free agency in 2024, as last season, he scored 14 totals TDs (13 rushing) and totaled 1,211 yards in 15 games played - - Jacobs, through his attorneys, denied the allegations. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the charges/arrest of Green Bay Packers & former Alabama RB Josh Jacobs?. . .**UPDATE: Packers RB Josh Jacobs was released from jail on Wednesday following his arrest on several domestic abuse charges, pending further investigation, as the Brown County (WI) District Attorney's office announced that the investigation "remains open and ongoing,". . . - NBA - - 2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer provide a weekly recap for each of the following Conference final games from across the league, and also discuss a few of the major storylines from the 2025-26 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Finals: Game 4: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers     [NYK leads series 3-0] **Kenny Atkinson will return next season as the Cleveland Cavaliers coach, sources confirmed to ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday — The Cavaliers advanced to their first conference finals this season for the first time since 2018, the furthest the team has advanced without LeBron James on their roster since 1992, although their season ended in a four-game sweep by the New York Knicks, where each game was decided by double digits. . . Western Conference Finals: Game 5: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.2 San Antonio Spurs   [Series tied 2-2] - NBA (cont'd) - - "A Four-Coach Clover:" Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was named NBA Coach of the Year on Tuesday night, officially wrapping up the league's postseason awards schedule - - Mazzulla led the Celtics to 56 wins in 2025-26 and the No.2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs despite Jayson Tatum missing most of the regular season with a torn Achilles tendon - - **NOTE: Mazzulla, who turns 38 on June 30, is the youngest winner of the award since Phil Johnson in 1975, according to the NBA - - He is 238-90 in his four (4) seasons with Boston - the best record in the league over that span - and led the Celtics to an NBA championship in 2024 - - **NOTE2: Mazzulla is the fourth coach in the Celtics' franchise history to earn Coach of the Year honors, joining Bill Fitch (1979-80), Tommy Heinsohn (1972-73) and Red Auerbach (1964-65) - - Mazzulla finished with 62 of the 100 first-place votes and was on 96 of 100 ballots, both the most of any coach this year: Detroit's J.B. Bickerstaff finished second for a second straight year after leading the Pistons to the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings, while the San Antonio Spurs' Mitch Johnson finished third. . .What are your thoughts on Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla being awarded the 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year?. . .Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from eliminating the Spurs and advancing to their second straight NBA Finals: If it finishes off San Antonio, Oklahoma City will face the New York Knicks while the two-time MVP's every move on the court will be evaluated under a microscope - - The narrative around SGA's ascension to superstardom in OKC has become increasingly focused on his ability to get to the free-throw line - Or, in more colloquial terms, his flopping, foul-baiting and "unethical basketball," - - With so much attention surrounding every game, not a day goes by where we don't get an absurd collection of SGA lowlights of him hitting the ground. .And he sure does hit the ground a LOT. .And while he doesn't hit the ground on every shot attempt, he does hit the ground much more often than other high-profile superstars - - With all that in mind, Underdog Sports, a fantasy sports & prediction market company, came up with a clever twist on a classic board game, and decided to put SGA on a new version of Operation: That game, titled "Unethical Hoops," was promoted by SGA's Olympic teammate, Dillon Brooks, last week - however, according to The Athletic, SGA's camp quickly responded by sending a cease-and-desist letter the very next day - - They have also asked that "all board games be destroyed," which makes you wonder how many Underdog has actually produced and/or manufactured at this point. . .Q: What are your thoughts on SGA's camp responding to Underdog Sports by issuing a cease-and-desist letter regarding their "Unethical Hoops" board game?. . . - Miscellaneous - - High School Football: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the "Teddy Bridgewater Act" into law Friday, meaning high school coaches in the state will now be allowed to use their own money to assist their players with such expenses as food, transportation, physical therapy & rehabilitation services - - The Bridgewater Act is named for the Florida native & longtime NFL QB who coached his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High School, to a state championship in 2024, but he was suspended for the 2025 season after revealing that he personally paid for meals, ride-share services and treatments for some players - - There will, however, be strict rules regarding how - and how much - coaches can spend: It would apply to a team's head coach only, cannot be used as a recruiting tactic, must be reported to a state agency and is capped at $15,000 per team per year - - Florida officials cited studies that show head football coaches in talent-rich Broward County received, on average, a stipend of $3,038, whereas in neighboring states, including Georgia, the studies showed coaches can earn more than $100,000 per year - but starting July 1, school boards can use "voluntary donations and revenues generated by authorized booster clubs or associations," to pay these coaches to a figure that "may not exceed the compensation of the highest paid administrator in the district.". . . Thanks for Listening!

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!