His callers are a portal to the college-football universe — and the American South today. As Finebaum himself says, "We found this audience before Donald Trump did." We're talking poisoned trees, an on-air heart attack... and one Alabama super-fan with a truly haunting past.

(This episode originally aired December 19, 2024.)

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It's another Coca Friday, party people! Today we kick things off with realignment in baseball! How is it going to work so it's not just lopsided divisions? Breaking Malik Beasley news! Top 25 Sports Movies of All Time! Well, we just give our Top 5!

As always, you can reach me @matthewcoca on Twitter or IG

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Today’s word of the day is ‘reconcile’ as in ESPN as in MLB as in broadcast as in baseball as in DTC. What am I talking about? ESPN and MLB are back together again. It looks like MLB games will come to the new service that ESPN launched. National games, out-of-market, and so on. Sunday Night Baseball? That could be headed to NBC! And the Home Run Derby… Netflix! (13:00) NBC wants to takeover the sports world. Give me NFL! Give me NBA! Give me MLB! The Peacock is showing off now! (23:30) Jerry Jones just can’t help himself. Every day is something new. And he’s pushing Micah Parsons to the point where we don’t know if he’ll ever play for the Cowboys again. (33:40) Review: Somebody Somewhere. (37:00) NPPOD. (41:00) Pat Fitzgerald settled with Northwestern over his major lawsuit against the university. And he’s getting big bucks. And he was proven innocent. Woof. (49:00) The Brewers won on Thursday. Kyle Tucker played. Tucker went hitless.

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Dan has pushed the Mystery Crate crew to Studio B on late notice and Mike Fuentes is annoyed. Billy wants to be Roy's neighbor, Jessica tries to find a influencer niche for Roy, Billy doesn't like all the non-football football content and finally the crew wants to know if Mike Fuentes is OK.

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No job in America is more scrutinized, except for (maybe) the presidency. And yet no job is more misunderstood — even by the stars who mastered it. On the eve of a new football season, Pablo joins journalism's foremost QB scholar for a case study in royalty: How do the Mannings keep producing under-center superstars? What connects the Golden Age of Hollywood to John Elway? Is Tom Brady’s newsletter right about fatherhood? And why do Nick Saban’s assistants call him “Daddy”?

• Buy Seth Wickersham’s new book, "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback"

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/789617/american-kings-by-seth-wickersham/

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Mina Kimes joins the show! She’s here to talk all things football with us! Was Daniel Jones the right choice for the Colts? Is Anthony Richardson’s time in Indy over? Jaguars or Dolphins? Super Bowl in London? (27:45) The Jets held a players-only practice. How do I feel about that? This is Aaron Glenn’s first season as a head coach and he’s trying to change the culture. (34:20) Myles Garrett wouldn’t answer questions about his speeding tickets. This is someone who keeps getting them. And he won’t talk about it? Cmon! (40:30) Caitlin Clark has only played 13 games this season. That’s it. And now we’re learning she picked up another injury. Oh boy. (45:00) What is the latest on the Connecticut Sun? Is the WNBA forcing a sale to itself?

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Today’s word of the day is ‘dominance’ as in Shohei Ohtani as in the Dodgers as in the Rockies? What? That’s right the Rockies rocked Ohtani in four innings. It was his worst outing of the season, in a time where the Dodgers can’t afford to drop these games. Not only that, Ohtani was hit by a comeback. Wooof. (14:30) We need to talk about what happened with one of the Yankees recent draft picks. He did something in college that is shameful, disrespectful, and downright horrible. But the Yankees still took him. (25:30) The Diamondbacks removed its 3rd base coach with five weeks left in the season. Manager Torey Luvollo said too many mistakes were made. Very rare. (34:00) Review: The Usual Suspects. (39:00) NPPOD. (44:30) The Pittsburgh Pirates have the top pitching prospect in baseball. And he was just called up. But for a bullpen role?

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He was the Bill James of basketball. A cocky forefather of sports analytics who saw numbers as colors. Whose book, "Basketball Heaven," helped usher in the three-point era. And who failed. But Martin Manley also left behind a map, ranging from X-Files to his mother-in-law to the path toward the most efficient life... and death. Reporters Nick Altschuller and Rich Levine adapt their new "30 for 30" podcast — produced by our parent company Meadowlark Media and Adam McKay's Hyperobject Industries, in partnership with ESPN.

(If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.)

• Listen to all six episodes of "Chasing Basketball Heaven":

https://30for30podcasts.com/

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Call us at 631-377-4869 if you want to ask Samson (!) a question

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Today’s word of the day is ‘DH’ as in designated hitter as in Aaron Judge as in Giancarlo Stanton as in the Yankees as in home runs as in Aaron Boone. What a game last night for the Yankees. The bats were alive. How can the Yankees keep this lineup together? What is Judge’s arm health? Why did Aaron Boone not know? (16:00) Victor Robles has been suspended by MLB for 10 games. That’s a huge number for what he did in his rehab assignment. Threw a bat at a pitcher! (27:30) The Super Bowl in London? Roger Goodell wants it! Would it ever happen? (36:00) Review: Eddington (39:30) The Indianapolis Colts are going with Daniel Jones as QB. Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 pick from 2023, has found himself back on the bench. Wow. (48:00) NPPOD

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