Hooked on Sports

Baseball has returned!!! A podcast episode four months in the waiting is now online. John gives win-loss predictions for all 30 teams, which teams will make the playoffs, who will win Rookies of the Year, Cy Young's, MVP's, Managers of the Year, and most importantly, his World Series predictions.

Will the Dodgers finally deliver a championship for the first time in 32 years? Will the Yankees face any stiff competition in the AL? Which teams are best equipped for the 60-game sprint? Below are the timeframes of each segment of this podcast episode.

AMERICAN LEAGUE (2:07-19:43)

NATIONAL LEAGUE (20:07-42:00)

2020 AWARDS & WORLD SERIES PICKS (42:21-51:37)

Patrick Mahomes made sports history last week as he signed the richest contract ever, a 10-year, $450 million extension that makes him a Kansas City Chief for life. Others followed suit at the tag extension deadline. Flynn also looks at the NFL's most marketable players given that Mahomes will be a superstar for years to come.

Former NFL MVP Cam Newton is headed to the New England Patriots this season, but will he make an impact upon arrival, and how could he shape the NFL coaching carousel next winter? Plus, the NHL Draft Lottery reared its ugly head as the No. 1 overall pick will go to a team to be determined!!! What needs to change in the NHL, and what can the NBA learn from the debacle? And what are the big storylines surrounding Major League Baseball as it tries to play the 2020 season amidst a pandemic?

John reacts to the agreement across baseball regarding the 2020 MLB Season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, plus with just a few weeks before NFL training camps open, it would be a good time to look at all 32 NFL defenses and rank each division based on the strength of their defenses. Spoiler alert! One division will have three playoff teams, and a lot of that has to do with the sum of defenses! Another spoiler! Great talk about the power structure of the NFL!

The NBA formally issued it's plan to return to action in Orlando, and where does the NBA's advancements leave MLB on their search for their return to the big stage. Plus, John lists his top three choices for the New York Knicks' next head coach should they decide not to make Mike Miller the coach, and why they should hire them. Are the Minnesota Vikings primed for more long-term success than in the short-term, even with one of the highest-paid quarterback's in the league? Finally, how much of an improvement can the New York Giants make this season, given that general manager Dave Gettleman is on the hot seat and they have a new coaching staff with Joe Judge?

As sports are set to return following the COVID-19 pandemic, it doesn't come without controversy, particularly with Major League Baseball. Where do the owners and players stand? Can they salvage the season? Plus, the NHL strikes gold while the NBA follows suit, and people should expect college football this fall, especially in the big schools. Also discussed this episode are the Jets' smart offseason plan & approach under GM Joe Douglas, why the 49ers need to find a way to make George Kittle the league's highest-paid tight end, and why the Super Bowl champion Chiefs potentially extending Patrick Mahomes is easier said than done (and why the reigning Super Bowl MVP would still be underpaid).

It has been a full week since ESPN released the highly anticipated docuseries "The Last Dance" featuring Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls dynasty. It highlighted events throughout Michael Jordan's career and unprecedented looks at the 1997-98 Bulls team, the last time fans viewed the Bulls as they knew it at the time. In the midst of a pandemic of epic proportions, the documentary was a sporting event in and among itself, and it changed the way we view sports documentaries forever. This podcast delves into John's favorite highlights and takeways from the documentary.

John goes over the NFL schedule release, including the NFL primetime games he's looking forward to the most this season, and highlights some of the teams' schedules including the Steelers and the Falcons.

So much is at stake in the 2020 NFL Draft. When and where will the quarterbacks go? Will Tom Brady get protection? What strategies will the teams with multiple first round picks take? Which WR will go first? Who will make Draft Day trades? Follow along on this week's special podcast.

John is joined today by two-sport athlete Emily Harrington, who expresses her frustration with the Houston Astros' cheating scandal, the joy of watching the US women's national soccer team dominate the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, talks about her roots in soccer and in track & field, while keeping a close eye on the coronavirus pandemic through distance learning. John also discusses the Cowboys and Bears situations as they are stuck in the middle of roster situations, and the Panthers extending star running back Christian McCaffrey.