Passed Ball Show

1-16-2021 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by talking about whether Tua Tagovailoa will be the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins for the distant future. Most importantly, John calls out an anonymous report that players do not trust Tua to be the leader they need. They do not trust Tua as much as they did Ryan Fitzpatrick. The problem is, the players do not have the balls to put their names behind it. The Miami Dolphins are a group of cowards. If they do not believe in Tua, so be it. But at least have the confidence in yourself to put a name behind it. John talks about the recent hiring of NFL Head Coaches, mainly Urban Meyer with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Urban walked into the ultimate scenario... a chance to take the best amateur quarterback in years, a ton of draft capital, a ton of salary cap space. A great opportunity to win. What happens if he has a losing season? What if things get a little tough? Will Urban Meyer be able to handle the NFL, or is it another example of Bobby Petrino or Nick Saban? What does the hiring of Arthur Smith mean for the future of Matt Ryan? Did the Jets finally get their leader in Robert Salah? John then talks about the New York Yankee brand. How it originated and how Brian Cashman will be their general manager as long as he wants. John explains how Cashman is able to use the brand to bully players and other teams’ executives.

1-14-2021 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by calling out the Pittsburgh Steelers for their enabling of a series of skill players who have had disruptive or rouge moments over the past couple years. Wide Receiver Chase Claypool is the most recent Steelers receiver to cause controversy when he posted a live tic tic video stating that the Browns will “get clapped” next round so it is “all good.” The well respected franchise, with the most stability in all of professional sports (three coaches since 1969) should have to answer to a pattern of behavior that started with Le’Veon Bell, continued with Antonio Brown, and recently resulted in the actions by WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. Is it enabled by Head Coach Mike Tomlin? Or is it the front office? John then talks about the James Harden trade to the Brooklyn Nets and his concern over whether Kyrie Irving will be a contributor on this team. Kyrie is the reason Kevin Durant is in Brooklyn. Kyrie is the reason Kenny Atkinson is no longer the team’s Head Coach. (Indirectly) Kyrie is the reason the Nets panicked and made the Harden trade. Irving can be whatever he wants to be- the mayor, a martyr, whatever. He has an obligation to live up to his professional basketball contract, something he is unlikely to voluntarily forfeit. John then mentions that there are 33 head coaches in the history of the National Football League that have won a Super Bowl. John questions whether the Philadelphia Eagles were correct in their decision to fire HC Doug Pederson. He then talks about NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s latest comments and why they are not good for his image, an image John just praised on his last show. Finally, five more MLB free agent predictions.

1-9-2021 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this version of the program by expressing his excitement and surprise over the Mets acquisition of Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor. The Mets are now one of the teams that jump at the opportunity to prey on teams that cannot afford to pay their own players. John does mention two previous trades involving star Indians infielders, Carlos Baerga and Roberto Alomar. He then tries to think of another time he has been this excited as a sports fan in the offseason. John talks a little NBA and what it is like for a team to not have a big star to build their team around. He talks about the Knicks and how he feels they are going about the build of their team the right way- a proven coach and the development of young, role players who are not intended to be stars. While the Knicks may be ready to add a big star, they have the foundation in place for that star to succeed. John talks about the Oklahoma City Thunder and the fact that they have a great player in Shai Gilgious- Alexander and very little built around him. John finishes off by giving his NFL picks for the first ever six game Wild Card weekend including a surprise pick against his favorite team.

1-2-2021 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program talking about upcoming College Football Championship game between Alabama and Ohio State. Two of the storied CFB programs in the history of the sport both earned a shot at an additional national championship. John discusses the legacy of Nick Saban and talks about why the Ohio State Buckeyes beat Clemson relatively easily. John then talks about the potentially historic occurrence in the NBA as Becky Hammon was handed the clipboard after Head Coach Gregg Poppovich was ejected. The NBA may be closer than other sports when it comes to the first female HC in men’s sports history. John then talks about the great Paul Brown, one of the greatest coaches in the history of pro sports. Were the Cleveland Browns named after him? Or were they named after Joe Louis? Where does Brown rank among the best Head Coaches in the history of the National Football League? Historically, the Browns have been much better than what they are credited for. Finally, five more free agent predictions in what has been a kind of slow MLB offseason.

12/30/2020 Passed Ball Show. John recaps his strongest sports takes for the year of 2020. He starts by questioning the excuse of a “market” for baseball teams like Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh when they have teams that play other professional sports in the same place. John reminds the viewer that there are eight NFL teams (there were nine coming into this season before the Houston Texans hired Romeo Crennel as interim head coach) that have not hired a black head coach. There are ten MLB teams that have not hired a black manager and eleven MLB teams that have not hired a Latin American manager. John has constantly stated that managers in Major League Baseball do not have the ability to influence a game and maybe even their own players. This point was not more evident when the Houston Astros implemented a plan to steal pitchers signs using technology, mainly manipulating the replay monitors. Manager AJ Hinch knew about the system, but could not do anything about it. Proof that a manager has no say in what a team is doing on the field. John has a hard time understanding why racism was ever okay, especially as it relates to professional sports. God created all living beings; what gave mankind the right to determine any of God’s children were any better than other of his same creation? The Detroit Pistons of the late 1980’s have been dubbed the “Bad Boys.” Perhaps it was more about the way the NBA was played at that time- there is no need for them to apologize. Isiah Thomas should have been on the 1992 Dream Team. It is insane that New York Yankees fans can mention the “Core Four” and intentionally leave out Bernie Williams. Lou Brock’s trade from the Chicago Cubs to the St. Louis Cardinals had a little bit to do with race- owner Phillip Wrigley felt the team was over their self imposed (or MLB imposed) quota of black players. John still has a hard time understanding why the Atlanta Braves were penalized for signing Tom Seaver, a player they selected in the draft. Obviously Mets fans everywhere are glad they were. How can you call yourself a sports fan and actually root for your team to lose? John would not consider a fan that rooted for his favorite team to lose an equal, would you? John also feels that a lot of New York Mets fans celebrate mediocrity as opposed to really wanting to see their team win. Some fans would rather have their players win awards than see the best team be assembled to win a World Series. Finally, John talks about the reputations of coaches and players and how it is directly tied to their winning and losing. Sometimes their knowledge or skill set may remain the same, the only thing that separates their legacy is whether they won or lost. See Casey Stengel.

12-26-2020 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by talking about Alvin Kamara’s 6 touchdown performance against the Minnesota Vikings. Where does 6 TD’s rank among other sports feats? Is it 5 HR or 4? 70 points in a basketball game or 80? 4 goals in hockey or 5? John then talks about the Josh Bell trade to the Nationals. What a great move by an organization that continues to do everything it needs to do to win! Mets, Phillies, Braves- it is your move. Phillies keeping JT Realmuto or Mets signing of George Springer will likely equal the Nats trade for Bell. John reminds the viewers the amount of Hall of Fame baseball, football, and basketball players and coaches we have lost this year. Finally, it is time to stop putting the Golden State Warriors on prime time games.

12/23/2020 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by explaining his feelings about Festivus in his ten seconds. He then blasts the fans of the New York Jets for rooting for their team to lose, then explains how it is not really possible for pro football players to not give maximum effort on a football field. John then brings up the opportunity the New York Mets have this off-season to do what no other MLB has the chance to do. It will be disappointing to see this organization not address EVERY need they have and project to be the team to beat in all of Major League Baseball. They may not get this chance again. John finishes off by talking about the NBA and questions whether they got it right by not having the bubble like settings that were proven to be successful during the recent playoffs and NBA Finals.

12-19-2020 Passed Ball Show. John opens this program by discussing some of the greatest endings in the history of sports. He uses as examples the Shot Heard around World, Cal/ Stanford walk off kick return (band on the field), NC State/ Virginia finish in 1983 Final Four, and the Music City Miracle of 2000. John then talks about Trevor Bauer involving himself in what is being reported about him. While John agrees with a player disproving something they do not believe is true, he does not believe Jon Heyman was giving his own opinion/ analysis. If the Reds do not have the financial resources and most importantly, if they declared they are not making an offer to sign Bauer, any reporter has the right and is not in the wrong to report it. John then talks about the probability that James Harden will get traded before the start of the NBA regular season. He talks about the Brooklyn/ Philadelphia possibilities and if it would be better to have Kyrie Irving or Ben Simmons go the Houston. Two is company and three is a crowd. John finishes off the program by making five more free agent predictions for Major League Baseball.

12-16-2020 Passed Ball Show. John starts out this program by giving the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Milwaukee Bucks credit for getting a super max deal done. Giannis being in Milwaukee is great for the NBA, an establishment that has enabled its best players to all play in the best markets. John brings up the Domestic Abuse accusation against former MLB shortstop Omar Vizquel. He talks about how this will stay connected with him for the rest of his life, even if it will not be the determining factor over whether he makes it into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Speaking of the BBHOF, John uses the mention of it to advocate the players that deserve to be in but have been held out. John then talks about the development of Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield and the connection to offensive that is being centered around his strengths. If a coach is not catering his offense around the strengths of his QB, the team will be behind the times. John then compares some great Negro Leagues players to great MLB players. And he finishes off the program by declaring new homes for the top five MLB free agents right now.

12-14-2020 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program discussing how the time is right for the Cleveland Indians to change their nickname. John makes the point that “Baseball Team” might best the best suggestion so, as a society, we do not sweep under the rug their previously accepted nickname. John states that it is not okay to be offended just because you feel somebody can be offended. There has to be an offended party involved. Hopefully the Atlanta Braves follow suit and why do the college sports program seem to be ahead of the curve in acknowledging that these names are inappropriate? John then talks about the New York Jets and states the team will win a game this season. He mentions the previous teams (11 total) that went winless during an entire season. Will the Jets lousy organizational structure lead Trevor Lawrence to question whether he should enter this years NFL draft? John talks about two other consensus number one picks and their refusal to sign with the teams that drafted them. There is one major difference. John suggests some potential Sam Darnold destinations via trade including a complex one involving the Philadelphia Eagles. Will there only be three NFL Head Coaches fired on Black Monday this year?