Cleats by Dre

I reconnect with my season preview panel - my business school buds James & Mike - to assess this Notre Dame Football season that has been solid yet unremarkable. We dive into the surprises and struggles, from red zone efficiency to passing game woes, and debate the Irish's playoff chances amid upcoming matchups with both undefeated (?) service academies. First though, I offer a quick recap of the Knicks' recent loss to the Celtics.

(1:20) Knicks-Celtics Recap: Give Boston Their Flowers

(7:19) Notre Dame Midseason Pulse Check

(24:30) Surprises & Struggles: Breaking Down the Irish

(43:45) Looking Ahead: Navy, Army, USC, Playoff Chances and Predictions

It's a changing of the guard as I recap a busy New York sports scene, celebrating the Liberty's championship, lamenting the Mets' playoff exit, and previewing the Yankees' World Series hopes. The focus then shifts to getting you ready for the Kniiiiicks, reminding you how last season ended, reviewing the offseason moves, and giving you a few things to look out for in the coming year.

(1:44) The Liberty's First WNBA Championship

(5:00) Mets' Playoff Exit and Why This Team Will Always Be Important To Me

(9:00) Yankees' World Series Preview

(12:07) Knicks 2023-24 Rapid Recap

(15:25) Knicks Offseason Primer: Trades, Draft Picks, and Key Re-signings

(24:23) Outlook for the Knicks' Upcoming Season

We break down an action-packed week for New York's queens and worker bees, starting with the Liberty's thrilling Game 3 performance as Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart light up the Finals, evoking classic comparables. Meanwhile, the Yankees face a harsh reality check, struggling against the resilient Guardians despite early expectations of an easy series. Lastly, the Mets find themselves on the brink, battling to stay alive against a dominant Dodgers lineup.

(1:06) Liberty one win from a championship, and some quick comparables for Ionescu's incredible heroics

(5:50) Yankees get christmas-ed and fried, yet still are in control at 2-1

(9:25) This could be it for the Mets, down 3-1

I dive into the thrilling chaos of this past weekend's New York's Sports Equinox, where (at least) six teams were involved in meaningful action across a jam-packed 36 hours. Pressure-packed playoff triumphs for the Mets, Yanks, and Liberty zigged with painful primetime stings for the Jets and Giants and zagged with a budding beacon in the hive in the Knicks, starting their preseason action. Join me as we break down the highlights, take a cue from nature, and uncover what’s next for our buzzing squads!

0:40 The New York Sports Equinox Weekend

4:35 The Mets, the worker bees

13:55 The Yankees and The Liberty, the queen bees (of course)

20:40 The "Metlife-less", the Jets and the Giants, the drone bees

26:08 The Knicks, the nurse bees

In this episode, I welcome lifelong Mets fan, former semipro player, and author Steve Bogacz for a conversation on the beauty of baseball and what makes Mets fans unique. We discuss Steve's decades-long love for the game, his book advocating for Keith Hernandez’s Hall of Fame induction, and our thoughts and "OH MY GOD" reactions on the Mets' recent NLDS win over the Phillies.

[02:52] Steve Bogacz's Baseball Origins And Our Love Of the Game

[20:15] The "New Breed" Mets Fans and The Case for Keith Hernandez in the Hall of Fame

[42:20] The 2024 Mets, Breaking Down the Mets-Phillies NLDS Series, and Looking Ahead

I dive into the intense Mets-Phillies NLDS series, featuring a special guest, my former classmate and diehard Phillies fan Chris. Together, we break down the first two rollercoaster games, preview the rest of the series, and unpack what it will take for each team to win - with both of us managing to make it through the conversation without triggering the other... too far. With additional insights on the Liberty's playoff dominance, the Yankees' struggles, and surprising performances from the Giants, this episode has something for every New York sports fan.

(01:40) Liberty-Yanks-Jets-Giants Recaps

(10:30) Mets-Phils with Chris

Enjoy!

I reflect on the power of belief through the lens of the New York Mets’ improbable, come-from-behind 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that advances them to the next round. We go deep with a play by play recap, including game notes and advanced stats insights, and come up for air with a reminder on how sports inspires.

(3:22) Pull up a chair for a play-by-play recap

(26:10) Post-game notes

(28:50) Belief: What it means to me

We celebrate the New York Mets clinching a rare playoff spot in dramatic fashion - with an 8-7 cathartic win over those darn tootin' Braves - and dive deep into the WNBA playoffs with a special guest - my cousin Betty! We talk about how she became a fan, what's behind the overall growth in popularity for the league, and break down the Liberty-Aces series a bit, exploring what it will take for the Liberty to win their first title. Feel the playoff energy in this episode drip, drip, drip!

2:15 Got my mind on the Mets, and the Mets on my mind

21:56 The WNBA's moment - and can the Liberty lift the Commissioner's Cup?

I delve into the recent upheaval surrounding college football, particularly focusing on the matrix glitching opt-out of UNLV's starting quarterback, Matthew Sluka. As the Rebels enjoy an undefeated season, Sluka's departure raises questions about player empowerment amid the chaos of NIL deals and unlimited transfers, highlighting the instability that has permeated the sport. We explore potential solutions for achieving equilibrium in college football.

(1:25) Recent team recaps/previews (Giants, Mets, Yanks, ND)

(9:05) Sluka

(13:35) Background on what's been happening in college football

(17:30) Why does this matter?

(22:35) Proposing solutions - both sensical and screwball

We review this weekend's games with a hat tip to a hat tip. And then we pick something uncommon we're seeing with each of the Mets, Giants, and ND Fighting Irish so far.

0:10 An ode to an ode, recapping Mets-Phils, Giants-Browns, ND-Miami

7:03 Something uncommon with the Irish

10:50 Something uncommon with the New York Football Giants

16:32 Something uncommon with the Metropolitans

Enjoy!