Crunching Tackles

Zlatan told LeBron to stay away from politics. LeBron said he wouldn't dream of it. We talk about the great 2021 athlete feud - and ask who's right. 

On this week's episode we discuss:

- Impending March Madness

- Whether Manchester City will win the quadruple

- Should LeBron "shut up and dribble?" Is Zlatan just a self-centered egotist? 

- What's the place of political statements in a divided country's sports? 

- And a brand-new Women's History Month segment, featuring the great Simone Biles this week! 

As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all our social media platforms! 

When you understand how good Mike Trout is, it makes you wonder why he gets so little media and fan attention. Today, the boys try to unpack why Mike Trout is the most under-covered athlete in America. We discuss:

- If the Hobbit movies ruined The Lord of the Rings franchise

- Why we are at peace about Tiger Woods' career

- What Mike Trout need to change about his personality

- If baseball still create superstars

- Why John is obsessed with soccer manager's fashion choices

- And what the future for Russell Wilson is.

As always, make sure to follow us on social media, and share this episode with your friends!

After a surprising Super Bowl result down in Tampa, the boys are here for a full recap of all the sporting and cultural events. On today's pod, we discuss:

- Why Tampa's defense deserved Super Bowl MVP

- Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady

- How did the pandemic affect our enjoyment of the game?

- What were our favorite and least favorite commercials?

- And a special shoutout to the Bucs coaching staff.

As always, make sure to follow us on social media, and share this episode with your friends!

How does free agency impact sports? What happens when a player demands a trade? Are transfers good or bad for the sporting cultures of teams and fans? On today's episode, the boys discuss:

- A very unique Star Wars x Sports crossover

-  The latest on the Deshaun Watson trade saga

- Is free agency ruining the legacies of athletes?

- The Drew Robinson Documentary

- And the newest announcement from EA Sports

As always, make sure to follow us on social media, and share this episode with your friends!

As the NHL and NBA battle positive COVID cases and are forced to postpone several games, some inside the leagues are open to the idea of going back to playing in isolated bubbles, like they did to end the 2020 season. What is the best way to combat coronavirus in sports leagues? On today's show, the boys discuss:

- Star Wars and MARVEL villains

-  Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl

- How COVID is impacting the start of fall sports seasons

- The Packers coaching blunders in the NFC Championship

- And the Tiger Woods HBO documentary

As always, make sure to follow us on social media, and share this episode with your friends!

Five NFL playoff quarterbacks in 2021 took the field at over 37 years old. On this episode, John and Chad unpack the trend of athletes playing later into their careers. Is there a benefit to being an older player? Can the best athletes in the world really be in their late 30s? We discuss:

- NFL Quarterbacks and the trend of age

-  Some of the oldest successful athletes to play at the top level

- The science behind longevity and mental fortitude in athletes

- The Nickelodeon football playoff broadcast

- And Bill Belichick rejecting the Presidential Medal of Freedom

As always, make sure to follow us on social media, and share this episode with your friends!

What would it be like to be the child of a legendary athlete who also pursues the same sport? What kind of pressure and expectations come with being a famous child-athlete? On today's episode, we discuss:

- Charlie Woods at the PNC Championship golf tournament

-  The expectations that come with being named "LeBron James Jr."

- How the Williams sisters defied the odds

- The College Football Playoffs

- And say a not-so-fond farewell to the year 2020

As always, make sure to follow us on social media, and share this episode with your friends!

A tale of two podcasts, as the boys convene on Thursday to discuss some of the biggest stories in sports, and reconvene again on Monday to cap off a fantastic Mandalorian Season 2 finale. We discuss:

- The newest announcement of Disney+ and Star Wars shows

- The long-overdue recognition of the Negro Baseball league

- Why Russian sports are in serious international trouble

- Our favorite moments from the Mandalorian Chapter 16

- And what the future of Star Wars will look like next year.

As always, make sure to follow us on social media, and tell your friends about us if you enjoy our content!

We finish up our series traveling around the world with a stop in Brazil for a deep dive into some soccer history (to much rejoicing from John)! Players like Pele and Ronaldinho have shaped the image of the game in our minds - and we examine why. We discuss: 

- Diego Maradona's legacy after passing away last week

- Pele's impact on world soccer

- Brazil's development into a soccer superpower 

- The origins of jogo bonito, "the beautiful game"

- And, of course, break down Chapter 13 of the Mandalorian to talk about all the important reveals you've been waiting for. 

As always, make sure to follow us on social media, and tell your friends about us if you enjoy our content! 

John and Chad return to their journey around the world. Now in Ireland, we discuss:

- The Gaelic Athletic Association and the culture of historic sports

- The intense political and sports rivalry between Ireland and England

- The greatest golf moment in the history of the country

- Moving to the Mandalorian, we discuss how Chapter 12 fits into the whole of the story

- And will we ever see Boba Fett again?

As always, make sure to subscribe and follow us on Twitter @crunch_tackles and on Instagram at @crunching_tackles!