Gridiron Gut Check

Just because it’s the NFL offseason doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of comeback stories to talk about! Wondery’s own John Gonzales from the Lead: Starting Five is in the house talking all the mini-comebacks coming out of NFL mini-camps! Gonzo, Shek and Shazier whiz through Philly’s chances of staking another Super Bowl run, how much of an impact Aaron Rodgers will make for the Jets this season, which free agents might have the biggest impact on their new teams, and if the Steelers can make a playoff run. Plus, the guys go in on the PGA’s decision to take LIV’s money and Shazier drops his list of must-see summer concerts.

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There are miracle comebacks and then there’s the story of Jake Olson! He’s a blind cancer survivor who played long snapper for the USC Trojans and he joins Shek & Shazier this week to tell his amazing story. From losing his sight completely in high school to returning to the field despite his predicament his junior year, to walking on to the Trojans as a D-1 college athlete, and later becoming a US National Blind Golf Champion, the former Pac-12 special teams player of the week is a walking “against all odds” story. Plus, the guys dive into the Heat vs Nuggets NBA Finals matchup, weigh in on a possible Le’Veon Bell return to the Steelers, and if there’s another comeback up Tom Brady’s sleeve.

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Did lightning just strike twice in San Antonio? The Spurs have gone through a bit of a rough patch since their dynasty ended, but that’s what happens when Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili retire and Kawhi Leonard decides to leave town… BUT with Wemby on the way, the comeback has to be right around the corner, right?! Shek & Shazier welcome NBA expert and lifelong Spurs superfan Michelle Beadle to the pod to discuss if the Spurs can take back the West now that they’ve won the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, who stacks up as their chief rival these days, and if it’s time to move on from Coach Pop. Plus, the guys chat about Jamal Murray’s incredible comeback from a torn ACL to tearing up the playoffs, if the Nuggets can secure the chip this year, and whether the right Batman is returning to the big screen.

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The star forward at the center of the women’s soccer comeback story of the year is in the house! Lynn Williams joins Shek and Shazier for a deep dive into the horrific hamstring injury that left her career in the NWSL and the USWNT in doubt. From the blood curdling pop she heard while chasing the ball down the line during a Challenge Cup game in 2022 to finding out that her hamstring had been torn completely off the bone, to 10 months of grueling rehab and training, it all leads up to the pitch perfect story of her return a year later where 7 seconds into her first game back, Williams bent one past the keeper for a goal! Plus, the guys marvel at Jason Tatum’s game 7 performance lifting the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals, debate if the Lakers’ bubble championship actually counts, and weigh in on which Disney musical has the greatest soundtrack of all time.

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The XFL is a breeding ground for comeback stories but none bigger or more emotional than AJ McCarron! After leading Alabama to back-to-back national championships in college McCarron flamed out in the NFL. Add to that a torn ACL in 2021 and his days as a starting QB looked long gone. But then the upstart XFL came calling and now McCarron is the league leader in touchdowns for the St. Louis Battlehawks and the XFL’s breakout player! Shek and Shazier talk to the QB about why he chose the XFL over the NFL, his experiences with The Rock, overcoming injuries, and doing it all so his kids could see him play. Plus the guys dive into the return of screen legend Joe Pesci in Peacock’s Bupkis, Max Duggan finding a new home in the NFL, and of course a look ahead to Mother’s Day.

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It’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show season and there’s a new breed of excitement in the air! Shek and Shazier welcome on-air analyst and Director of Communications Gail Miller Bisher for a crash course on everything that goes into winning Best In Show. From why the the most popular dogs never win to the parameters of “peak form” to what it takes to become a WKC Dog Show judge. Plus the guys break down the GOAT matchup between Steph and LeBron and what it means for their EPIC playoff rivalry, which NFL franchise ACTUALLY had the best draft this year, and with Star Wars Day upon us, how the guys plan to celebrate! May the 4th be with you!

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It’s NBA Playoff season and the drama is BACK! The Ringer’s resident flamethrower, Ryen Russillo joins Shek and Shazier to break down all the juiciest comeback storylines playing out in the playoffs like: Are the new-look Lakers good enough to get Lebron back to the Finals? Do the upstart Kings have enough juice left to keep the beam lit vs. the Warriors? And could a few key injuries determine who wins the chip this year? Plus the guys weigh in on whether Bijan Robinson cuts the mustard as a top ten pick in the NFL Draft, if he can single handedly put some respect back on the running back position, and if Aaron Rodgers is the answer to the Jets quest to finally emerge from the darkness of NFL purgatory.

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Boxing mega fights are BACK! Shek and Shazier are joined by Matchroom boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, talking about this weekend’s MASSIVE super fight between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Ryan Garcia. Eddie gives his prediction on the fight, drops a hot take on if celebrity boxers like Jake Paul are here to stay, teases some potential upcoming mega fights like Joshua vs Wilder and Fury vs Usyk and the gloves come off when everyone makes their pick for boxing GOAT. Plus, Shek and Shazier weigh in on if Damar Hamlin’s return to practice is too soon, how NFL draft prospects are feeling right now leading up to the big day, if the Warriors can claw their way back to slay the Kings, and with Big George Foreman in theaters, the guys talk a little old school boxing!

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It ain’t your grandfather’s brand of baseball but the Savannah Bananas are selling out stadiums all over the world by playing a new, fun-first style of America’s Past Time. And World Series hero, Jonny Gomes is helping them do it! Shek and Shazier are joined by the former Red Sox and Royals legend to peel back the layers on “The Harlem Globetrotters of baseball.” Plus OBJ is back, this time with the Ravens, but will his return convince Lamar Jackson to stay? Did we just witness Tiger’s last stand at the Masters? And Shazier recalls the time he and Le’Veon Bell almost came to blows!

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Greeny's in the house giving us Big Digit Energy! That's right, numbers are at the heart of our collective sports obsession even as the games we love are constantly changing. But can the kind of long-standing records and stats that fascinated us as kids make a comeback? Shek & Shazier get up with ESPN legend Mike Greenberg to go inside the numbers on his new book, "Got Your Number: The Greatest Sports Legends and the Numbers They Own" for the deepest of deep dives into why those digits on the backs of our favorite athletes' jerseys and printed in the record books mean so darn much to us! If you ever wanted to see Shek geek the eff out, this is the episode for you! Plus in a special edition of the Check Down, the guys go even deeper into iconic player numbers like 7, 13, 23, 33 and more with a little game of jersey number association.

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