Frame of Reference

Frame of Reference: Season 2. Coming soon.

The world of Lacrosse did not have room for two professional outdoor leagues. So which one came out on top? In Part 2 of this episode, we discuss how the saga between the PLL and MLL concludes and what the future of the sport looks like moving forward. 

Guest(s): Katie Baker, The Ringer. Kyle Devitte, Inside Lacrosse. Tom Schreiber (Midfielder, Archers LC). Jim Stagnitta (Head Coach, Whipsnakes LC). Andy Towers (Head Coach, Chaos LC).

Lacrosse has long been a niche sport in this country, but one of the game’s all time greats is out to change that. Paul Rabil is on a mission to bring his new venture, The Premier Lacrosse League, to the forefront of American sports. We discuss what makes the PLL so revolutionary and why everyone in the sport may not be happy with it. 

Guest(s): Katie Baker, The Ringer. Kyle Devitte, Inside Lacrosse. Dan Arestia, ProLacrosseTalk.

Major League Baseball has seen a statistical revolution in the last 20 years. A philosophy called ‘SABRmetrics’ has changed how teams evaluate players and how players advance their capabilities. We discuss the impact of these analytics on the game of baseball and the fans’ viewing experience. 

Guest: Zach Buchanan, Staff Writer at The Athletic covering the Arizona Diamondbacks

In the series' first bonus episode, we return to our first story from May 2019 - where we discussed the future of the Running Back position. With several top-tier RBs facing uncertain futures, we take a look at how the issue has evolved since our initial discussion.

Hockey has always been a physical sport rooted in violence and fighting. Over time, this style of play has taken a toll on its players and we are just now starting to understand the sport’s  long-term consequences on the brain. We discuss hockey’s impact on head trauma and the NHL’s response. 

Guest: Dr. Chris Nowinski, Co-Founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation & the Boston University CTE Center.

The NBA has seen an unprecedented increase in player mobility over the 2010s. Star players have changed teams at a historic rate and so-called "superteams" have ruled the day - but Is this really a new concept? A discussion on the impact of superteams and whether or not they help or hurt the league.

Guest(s): Jared Dubin, FiveThirtyEight, FanSided and Eric Pincus, Bleacher Report and Basketball Insiders.

Technology has resulted in the rise of two billion-dollar industries and numerous unintended consequences. An examination of how Fantasy and eSports have evolved and affected how we consume sports.

Guest: Kurt Melcher, Executive Director of eSports at Robert Morris University.

The U.S. men's national team has come a long way from its humble beginnings, but there is still a lot of work to be done. An in-depth look at how the USMNT can get their act together in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Guest: Phil West, MLSSoccer.com, "The United States of Soccer", "I Believe That We Will Win".

How one athlete's fight for fair compensation illustrates a microcosmic example of the NFL's continual devaluation of the running back position.

Guest: Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (formerly), The Athletic.