College basketball expert and Bracketologist Andy Bottoms from AssemblyCall.com joins to talk about all things college hoops. We dish about who is the best college basketball team in the nation (is it UNC, Villanova, Kansas), the parity we see in the rankings, and how more than a dozen teams could cut down the nets. We also discuss some sleeper teams to look out for come March and will LSU make the tournament (lead by likely number one overall pick Ben Simmons.)

I want to hear from you. Will LSU make the tournament? What college basketball team do you think is best in the nation? Hit me up on Twitter @BaconSports and make sure to include @AndyBottoms as well.

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1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 past and present NBA players from 1985 whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. Follow Bacon Sports on Snapchat: If you are on Snapchat then you need to be following us faster than an in his prime Devin Hester returned a punt.

4. If you dig sports t-shirts then check out our friends at 500 Level. Use promo code BACON and get 10% off any purchase of $17 or more. This is a limited time offer, exclusive only to Bacon Sports listners.

If Hoopster Hall of Fame plaques were given out Brad Bultman would have one. He’s an NBA jerseys enthusiast from Grand Rapids, MI that currently resides in Australia who has been to 40 MLB stadiums, 7 continents, and has traveled the world documenting his experiences while wearing basketball jerseys. He is also part of Team Bacon Sports as he has been in charge of our Instagram account, helping it grow from 400 followers to over 5000.

In what is the most worldly NBA jerseys podcast ever, Brad and I talk about his travel adventures, jerseys culture, his crazy sports fandom, and the thriving community of bacon loving, jersey rocking, sports fans we have on Instagram.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BACON SPORTS PODCAST!

FREE RESOURCES!

1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 past and present NBA players from 1985 whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. Follow Bacon Sports on Snapchat: If you are on Snapchat then you need to be following us faster than an in his prime Devin Hester returned a punt.

Want to know how to be a sports talk radio host or play-by-play announcer? Then you’ll dig my 6th interview on How To Make It In Sports Media as I talk with Zach McCrite, Sports Talk Radio Host of 107.7 The Franchise in Oklahoma and The Podcast About Sports Radio.

In the interview Zach McCrite and I talk about:

* Doing play-by-play for the 2007 McDonald’s All American game which included Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, James Harden, and Kevin Love.

* Tips for how to be a good interviewer when hosting a show. He shares a great story about getting Amani Toomer to open up.

* How he got his start in sports media and landed a gig as a sports talk radio host.

* How to make your personal sports media brand stand out by not being afraid to swing and miss.

* How he got big sports media personalities to appear on his podcast.

At the end we also have a lightning round where Zach answers a bevy of sports questions.

Follow Zach McCrite on Twitter @BigEZ.

Some pull quotes from the podcast that stood out to me were:

* “Ask questions constantly, be a sponge.”

* “Fail enormously. Don’t be bland.”

* “Get something out of athletes no one else does.”

You can check out the other interviews from my How To Make It In Sports Media interview series:

* 5. Liz Loza, Yahoo Fantasy Sports

* 4. Dan Clasgens, FoxSports 1360, ESPN 1530 & GetSportsInfo.com

* 3. Todd Heyden, Co-Founder of Sports Lock

* 2. Larry Brown, Founder of LarryBrownSports.com

* 1. Jim Weber, Founder of LostLettermen.com

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BACON SPORTS PODCAST!

FREE RESOURCES!

1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 past and present NBA players from 1985 whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. Bacon Sports Newsletter: If you dig what you see on Bacon Sports then sign up for our newsletter and become part of our community.

You know what would be amazing? If during NBA All-Star Weekend Adam Silver added an NBA Jam contest consisting of the top two players from the 16 teams with the best records. There is a 100% chance this concept would break the internet and make NBA All-Star Weekend a can’t miss event.

I debuted this NBA Jam contest idea back in 2013 when there was a lack of big names in the slam dunk contest. If you weren’t gonna give us MJ vs Dominique then the next best thing would be an NBA Jam contest. (You can check out the 2015 version here.)

Now it’s time for the 2016 edition of the NBA Jam Contest. Everything with the format stays the same. There’s no third player on each team (to keep things simple), games are play to 7 win by two or first to 10 straight up, and seeding is based on current win-loss record as of Feb 11, 2016 at 2 pm.

I hit up Jason Logan, sports betting insider from Covers.com, about what the odds would be on each team winning the 2016 NBA Jam Contest. Here’s what he came up with (first number is seeding.)

1- Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry/Klay Thompson +300

3- Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook +350

4- Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James/Kyrie Irving +350

2- San Antonio Spurs: Kawhi Leonard/LaMarcus Aldridge +400

6- Los Angeles Clippers: Chris Paul/DeAndre Jordan +550

10- Miami Heat: Dywane Wade/Chris Bosh +600

5- Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry/DeMar DeRozan +650

7- Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Randolph/Mike Conley +700

13- Chicago Bulls: Pau Gasol/Derrick Rose +800

11- Indiana Pacers: Paul George/Monta Ellis +850

12- Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki/Deron Williams +900

9- Atlanta Hawks: Paul Millsap/Al Horford +1,000

16- Detroit Pistons: Reggie Jackson/Andre Drummond +1,100

14- Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker/Nicolas Batum +1,200

15- Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard/C.J. McCollum +1,300

8- Boston Celtics: Isaiah Thomas/Jae Crowder +1,500

Here’s the podcast that Jason & I shot discussing the teams whose odds we like, which upsets could happen, and what we like best about the NBA Jam contest concept.

Just seeing these odds gives me a sports boner. Oh the possibilities.

Here’s what the bracket would look like. I kept with the same format we’d see in March Madness.

1- Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry/Klay Thompson

16- Detroit Pistons: Reggie Jackson/Andre Drummond

The Warriors are currently on a historic pace, Steph Curry is putting together another MVP season, and every game the Warriors play is a highlight real of awesomeness. They are like if NHL overtime had a wet dream.

In the opening round they get a relatively easy matchup against one of the few Big & Little teams out there. Andre Drummond no doubt is a size mismatch, but Klay Thompson is 6’7″ and is a phenomenal defender. I don’t see any way the Pistons are able to stop the Warriors offensively given the speed and ability to get a quick shot off.

The first real threat to the Warriors wouldn’t happen until the third round when they’d likely play the LeBron/Kyrie Cavs (which is something I’d pay $50 on pay-per-view to wat...

Panthers diehard G-Hunt is still recovering in San Francisco but jumps on the pod to share his crazy Panthers Super Bowl stories.

On the podcast G-Hunt talks about:

* His NFL Super Bowl experience on Saturday including sneaking into the Intel party with his crew (shout out to Todd Hunter & Jeff Manning.)

* Finding a Panthers bar and then getting on the local news from the TV station in his home town (Fayetteville, North Carolina.)

* Tailgating with the Bojangles crew, who drove cross country to support the Panthers, before the Super Bowl.

* Buying a Super Bowl ticket from a scalper that unknowingly was stolen.

* Watching the second half of the Super Bowl at a low rent American chain restaurant.

* Thoughts on Cam Newton’s Super Bowl performance.

Outro guitar riff provided by Kevin Maines. Check out his latest single Whiskey River.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BACON SPORTS PODCAST!

FREE RESOURCES!

1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 past and present NBA players from 1985 whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. 11 Funny Filters to Write Jokes : Write better comedy by learning the fundamentals of joke writing from the Second City Training Center in Chicago.

Panthers diehard G-Hunt is heading to Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco to cheer on his squad so we decided to lay down a Panthers Super Bowl hype podcast to talk about his outlook and excitement for the game.

On the Panthers Super Bowl hype podcast we talk about:

* How this is the biggest game of G-Hunt’s sports fan life.

* How he’ll get a Carolina Panthers tattoo if they win the Super Bowl.

* What worries him about the Denver Broncos including the John Elway/Peyton Manning narrative.

* How he sees the Super Bowl playing out including specific scenarios and scores.

* To finish it off G-Hunt drops a Panthers Super Bowl hype speech for Panthers Nation (final 3 minutes).

Here’s a Snapchat video of our Panthers Super Bowl hype night where G-Hunt shows off his stylin & profilin Panthers Super Bowl suit. You can follow G-Hunt’s Super Bowl experience on Snapchat @baconsportsgreg.

 

#KeepPounding

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BACON SPORTS PODCAST!

FREE RESOURCES!

1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 past and present NBA players from 1985 whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. 11 Funny Filters to Write Jokes : Write better comedy by learning the fundamentals of joke writing from the Second City Training Center in Chicago.

Talking Super Bowl 50 betting plus ridiculously awesome prop bets to consider. Rob Cressy and industry insider Jason Logan from Covers.com also discuss the line movement of the Panthers -5.5, the under down to 44.5, and how to bet the Panthers but not get crushed by the number because of a lack of value.

Podcast version:

Video version:

The Super Bowl 50 props they talk about are:

* Will Mike Carey be wrong about a challenge? Yes +145 No -190

* What color will the Gatorade bath be? Orange +150, Blue +333, Water +500, Yellow/Red +550, Green +1000, Other +700

* What color will Beyonce’s dress be?

* Will there be an earthquake? Yes +1000

* Will Ted Ginn Jr drop a pass? Yes -120 No -120

* Peyton Manning over/under 0.5 rushing yards?

* Who will the Super Bowl MVP thank first? God +200 Team +200

* Will there be an excessive celebration penalty? Yes +260  No -400

* Will either backup QB take a snap in this game? Yes +200 No -300

You can follow Jason Logan on Twitter @CoversJLo

If you are at a Super Bowl 50 party and want to have some simple fun that with the prop bets that everyone can be included on then print out this Super Bowl 50 Party Props sheet that Covers created. No doubt it’ll add some extra excitement to your festivities.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BACON SPORTS PODCAST!

FREE RESOURCES!

1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 past and present NBA players from 1985 whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. 11 Funny Filters to Write Jokes : Write better comedy by learning the fundamentals of joke writing from the Second City Training Center in Chicago.

Rob Cressy brings on Detroit Lions fan Karl Gustafson to talk about the Calvin Johnson retirement news. Karl lives in Detroit, has been a Lions fan his entire life, so he’s got a unique perspective and isn’t holding back.

On the podcast Rob and Karl talk about:

* How does Calvin Johnson’s retirement compare to when Barry Sanders cut his Lions career short?

* Does he blame Calvin Johnson for retiring?

* Is Calvin Johnson a Hall of Famer?

* How does this effect Matthew Stafford and what is his perception of Stafford’s career up to this point?

* Who are the worst coaches in Detroit Lions history.

* At the end we go on a tangent about Detroit sports. What’s cooking with the Pistons and thoughts on Andre Drummond & Reggie Jackson. Plus the current state of the post Mike Babcock Detroit Red Wings.

Outro guitar riff provided by Kevin Maines. Check out his latest single Whiskey River.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BACON SPORTS PODCAST!

FREE RESOURCES!

1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 NBA players from 1985 to now whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys and are looking to step your game up for Coachella, Lollapalooza, or Bonnaroo then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. 11 Funny Filters to Write Jokes : Write better comedy by learning the fundamentals of joke writing from the Second City Training Center in Chicago.

The Hoopster Nation podcast is back, dishing about all things jerseys! Rob Cressy is joined by Hoopstergram’s Tom Phillips as they talk about Rob’s experience meeting Mark Cuban while rocking a Cherokee Parks Mavericks jersey, how and why Rob sold his coveted Gary Trent Trail Blazers jersey, plus how you can use the World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database to step your jerseys game up this music festival season.

Below is a Snapchat I put together (posted on Instagram) paying homage to my now departed Gary Trent Trail Blazers jersey. It’s not easy to say goodbye to something you’ve loved.

A video posted by Bacon Sports (@baconsports) on Jan 16, 2016 at 4:05pm PST

I’d love to hear your great moments in jerseys history. For me meeting Mark Cuban certainly is at the top. Hit me up on Snapchat @baconsports and let me know who you met while stylin & profilin in a jersey!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BACON SPORTS PODCAST!

FREE RESOURCES!

1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 NBA players from 1985 to now whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys and are looking to step your game up for Coachella, Lollapalooza, or Bonnaroo then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. 11 Funny Filters to Write Jokes : Write better comedy by learning the fundamentals of joke writing from the Second City Training Center in Chicago.

Talking NFL Conference Championship betting and give a breakdown of the lines and over/unders on the Panthers/Cardinals and Patriots/Broncos games. Rob Cressy and industry insider Jason Logan from Covers.com also discuss early Super Bowl MVP odds including which players offer the most value.

You can follow Jason Logan on Twitter @CoversJLo

 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BACON SPORTS PODCAST!

FREE RESOURCES!

1. World’s Largest NBA Jerseys Database: There’s over 763 past and present NBA players from 1985 whose jerseys you can buy. If you love basketball jerseys then this is the holy grail!

2. Dream of Working in Sports? We are looking for talented, passionate sports fans that want to be part of Team Bacon Sports and help grow the brand. Having the sports job of your dreams is possible and we want to help make that happen!

3. 11 Funny Filters to Write Jokes : Write better comedy by learning the fundamentals of joke writing from the Second City Training Center in Chicago.