Passed Ball Show

2-5-2022 Passed Ball Show. John spends this time mentioning ESPN's list of top 100 baseball players of all time and compares it to his list of top 100 offensive position players in his book yet to be published. While he makes some stark comparisons, his main issue has to do with the general public's perception of current players against those that played the game years ago in a different backdrop. Many believe it is easy to state that a player from today is better than a player from yesteryear. John's contention, while respecting that perspective, is that it is not fair to transplant a player from now into a time where their personal advantages did not exist and compare them to somebody who does not have the same advantage because of circumstance. It is an unfair comparison. John brings up two fair suggestions. One is to simply credit the best in each generation for the fact that they did the best with no control over when they were born. The other is to normalize one timeframe or the other. In other words, imagine Mike Trout playing in 1923 with no personal trainer, "nutritional" supplement, video or any other technology, deeper rosters with expansion, etc. Or Babe Ruth with a personal trainer, weight training, supplements, video technology with an understanding that pitchers will be throwing 100 miles per hour with movement. John's contention is that it is not fair to shame a player from when they played and automatically assume they could not make the proper adjustments to succeed in today's game and conversely, automatically assume players from today would be great in past eras without the knowledge of being in shape and weight training and not having the video provided for them. Then John talks a little bit about Ben Simmons and whether it makes sense for a team to trade for him before the NBA's trade deadline. John suggests that a potential playoff contending team stay away due to the uncertainty over whether Simmons will play, especially due to his high price tag and the fact that General Manager Darryl Morey does not seem like he is willing to settle for a lesser package. John suggests that a non-contending team, such as the Rockets or Pistons make a deal for Simmons due to his relatively young age and long-term contract. Plus, the losing team does not have to worry/ care about whether Simmons plays this season or not. A dream scenario might involve a swap with Houston for John Wall, but obviously there would have to be other moving parts.

2-2-22 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by questioning whether it will ever be acceptable again for an NFL team to zero in on a particular candidate and hire them as a Head Coach. John talks about the New York Giants and the obvious connection between new Head Coach Brian Daboll and newly hired General Manager Joe Schoen. It was obvious that the coach was the number one target of the GM. Is that racist? John says no but that hiring process is not an acceptable practice for the NFL right now. The Giants should be found guilty of direct violation of the Rooney Rule and there should be a penalty they should have to face. John openly asks if it is possible for an NFL team to openly target a white football coach. The Rooney Rule, while well intended, has become a checklist point for teams hiring a coach as opposed to giving qualified candidates of color a genuine opportunity to get a job they may have not been considered for. John reiterates that there are still nine (9) NFL teams who have never hired a black Head Coach (as well as reminding the viewers/ listeners that there are still nine (9) MLB teams who have still never hired a black manager), including the Giants and New Orleans Saints (who currently have a Head Coach vacancy). John suggests a solution to the NFL diversity problem when it comes to Head Coaches of color getting jobs -JOHN ONCE AGAIN MAKES THE POINT THAT IT IS A DISGRACE THAT IN A LEAGUE COMPOSED OF 70% BLACK PLAYERS JUST ONE OUT OF 32 TEAMS HAS A BLACK HEAD COACH-. He suggests that every NFL HC vacancy be limited to just prospects of color. That may be the only solution. Whites may not like it but how does it feel to have the shoe on the other foot? Finally, John talks about the obvious tanking situation going on in the NBA and the Houston Rockets. Why is it okay for the team to intentionally not play its best player when he is healthy, able to play, and gives his team the best chance to win? John says this is on the Rockets and owner Tilman Fertitta, on Head Coach Stephen Silas, and Commissioner Adam Silver. He concludes the show by mentioning how much of a scandal it would be if a Miami Dolphins Head Coach took money from the owner to intentionally lose games, then asks- Why is it okay for an NBA team to intentionally not suit up its best healthy players?

1-26-2022 Passed Ball Show. John spends this show talking about his issues with the Baseball Writers Association of America and their inconsistent voting process when it comes to the Baseball Hall of Fame. John congratulates David Ortiz for his well-deserved selection into the Baseball Hall of Fame and admits he was wrong when he declared that no player would be selected by the BBWAA this cycle. He gladly takes the "L" but makes the statement that it is not like Ortiz made it in with flying colors. 22.1% of the baseball writers did not vote for him, far more than should have. John makes his annual declaration that the Baseball Hall of Fame has not done enough to honor the best players to ever play its sport. John continuously advocates for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and others, to get their place in Baseball's Hall of Fame. John talks about steroids and how the entire sport, its fans, its teams, its players, and its commissioner all turned a blind eye to the steroid fueled home run chase of 1998. Hall of Fame Commissioner Bud Selig was cheering from the front row as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa shattered Roger Maris' single season home run record of 61. Baseball enabled the use of steroids and had no issue with until US Congress got involved and invited players to their chambers to discuss their use of PED's. It was not until then that baseball even banned to use of these substances in their sport. John feels that Alex Rodriguez has a much better chance to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame over the next nine years than Bonds or Clemens. John states that some players that have at least some suspicions are already in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Bonds and Clemens, themselves, will have a chance to be elected next year through the Veterans Committee. John talks about the significance of this and how the Veterans Committee may gain more credibility than the Baseball Writers Association of America when it comes to electing players to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Finally, John talks about how the attempt to hold out the best players of the steroid's era are causing lesser players to get more consideration than they deserve.

1-24-2022 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this show ridiculing those complaining about the NFL overtime rules. Whatever the rules are, somebody will be unhappy. Changing them is only a thing because you wanted the other team to win. At least fans are finally laying off the officials. John then gives some reasons why the NFL is the most popular sport in the country and why it is not even close. After that, he reiterates the reasons it is important for a team to have a star quarterback and why he believes a team may never win a Super Bowl without one again. He then compares not having a star quarterback to a small market team in Major League Baseball.

1-22-2022 Passed Ball Show. John spends this show taking about how the NFL has flexed itself and will never let anything get in the way of it making itself money. The NFL has changed its COVID safety protocol eliminating daily testing and no longer requiring players to identify themselves as being vaccinated or unvaccinated. It makes it clear the NFL will not allow anything get in the way of the Billions and Billions of dollars they generate each year. They have assured it will not happen this year. John then talks about the New York Football Giants and their change in direction. He compares the hiring of Joe Schoen to that of George Young in 1979. John explains the Young (and ancestors) era, which is ending after 43 years. John discusses that timeframe and why it is exactly the same as what the Giants have gone through the last five seasons. Finally, John explains why the two teams with the first round bye are playing must win games and asks out loud why so many non- SF 49ers fans seem to root for (fan boy/ girls).

1-19-2022 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by speaking of Martin Luther King’s impact on the world of sports. He then spends some time talking about Elston Howard, the first black player in the history of the New York Yankees. The Yankees were one of the last MLB teams to integrate when they signed Howard, who would play in ten World Series and win the 1963 AL MVP. The Yankees had a chance to make Howard, an extremely well respected baseball man, the league’s first black manager prior to the 1974 season, but chose Bill Virdon instead. To this day, the Yankees are one of ten MLB teams who have yet to hire a manager or color. John then talks about the mistreatment of Doug Williams in the 1980’s. The same sentiment that exists when it comes to black Head Coaches existed when it came to quarterbacks at one point. Williams’ treatment by the NFL was uncalled for, and looks even worse all these years later. John then talks about “House Money,” a description that is used to rate the state of a team that has little to lose in the postseason. John talks about the Cardinals, Eagles, Raiders, Steelers, and Bengals in varying degrees. He finishes off the program by comparing the Dallas Cowboys to the Big Ten in College Basketball.

1-11-2022 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this version of the program by congratulating the Georgia Bulldogs on a well played National Championship victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. John talks about his rooting interest which was leaning for Alabama because of his interest in their dominance as a historian. John then explains how fun it was to watch this Georgia team and how by the time the game was over, he was happy for Kirby Smart, Stetson Bennett, and the Bulldogs. Speaking of Bennett, John talks about how an NFL developmental league would be perfect for the quarterback and why it might be better to have a league run simultaneously with the NFL and its regular season. After he gives his reasons, he compares it to the likes of the NBA’s G League and explains why that is working and perfect for the NBA right now. Finally, John spends some time talking about the return of Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson, how hyped this return was, and why the Warriors are just as good now as they were when they won three NBA Finals and two other Western Conference Championships. Lastly, John talks about the fake news involving New York being such a superior sports city and how it is all relative to which fans we are talking about. Non NY fans do not look at NY as having the best fan base and most passionate fans. The only fans that believe that are NY fans, as they should.

1/10/2022 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by talking about the commonalities that exist among teams that are firing their head coaches in the National Football League. There is not a team who fired their HC that has a star quarterback. John plays the chicken and egg game, but states that great quarterbacks “coincidentally” always have great coaches. John spends a little time laughing at the thought of the Raiders and Chargers intentionally allowing their game to end with a tie just so both teams could make the playoffs. He then gives a couple of reasons why teams would never do it and how it might open the door for gamblers to get to close to players/ teams. John talks about Mark Davis (Raiders owner) and his apparent disregard to the Rooney Rule as it applies to interviewing Coach candidates in the NFL. John claims a black coaching candidate was not interviewed when the Raiders hired Jon Gruden and that one will not be interviewed if Davis hires Jim Harbaugh. He also throws out a possibility of racism that would have to be considered if Brian Flores is not coaching an NFL team in 2022. He then spends some time talking about the 1971 NFL Draft, Archie Manning’s sperm, and the first Green Bay Packers QB to throw for 30 or more touchdowns and for over 4000 yards in a season. Finally, John gives the reason he cannot lose when it comes to the CFB National Championship Game between Alabama and Georgia.

1-7-2022 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program analyzing whether fans could suffer long term by their actions when they choose to boo their own favorite players. While it seems to be a tough topic to take on, John explains that the change in society’s approach should make the fans consider the mentality of the very players they are booing. John makes it clear that he feels paying fans have the right to express themselves anyway they want- which includes booing if they so feel. However, John believes players have the right to respond back, ie. making a “thumbs down” gesture as a response. John explains the change in the mentality of society and how it has gone away from structure and towards individualism. Because of that, and mostly because of social media, we can no longer control whether a player decides to express themself, especially in situations of negativity. John makes examples of non- fan friendly decisions made by Kyrie Irving and more directly, Ben Simmons, which are individual decisions that impact whether they are on the court playing basketball. If they can choose to not play, they can choose to react to fans booing them. John plays the other side for a second, and believes that if the players hold in their emotions it will only boil over during time. He then envisions a scenario where teams start to strive to win for themselves and no longer for the fans. He concludes with a sad scenario of a New York Sports Team winning a championship and not showing up for the fans’ parade. While it sounds extreme, it could happen because of the change in the mentality of today’s athlete. Howard Cosell gives us a couple occurrences in “This Day in Sports History” before John reiterates his points on why the players will eventually come out on top when it comes to their challenging of fans unruly behavior.

1-5-2022 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by talking about the importance given to NFL teams that have a big time Quarterback. Unless the team has one, the National Media does not give them the respect they may very well deserve. John talks about how the Tennessee Titans could be peaking at exactly the right time, not just with the return of Derrick Henry, but a potentially “close to” 100% Julio Jones. After that, John plays devil's advocate and questions exactly how healthy Henry is and equates that to injury situations involving Baker Mayfield and James Harden. In pro sports, bad performance is not excused just because you “played hurt.” Howard joins the program to talk about the legendary John Madden and John says some stuff you probably didn’t know about him before some exciting things coming to the show in 2022.