Show Pony Live!

A lot is changing right now—and not everyone wants to admit it.

On today’s Show Pony’s Wildfire, I react to what Urban Meyer said on Sirius XM’s Full Ride about the Big Ten Conference catching (and likely passing) the Southeastern Conference.

Plus:

* John Lynch and the San Francisco 49ers using AI for draft prep

* Why AI is becoming a real advantage (and how I’m using it)

* Todd Golden drawing NBA interest from Golden State

* Billy Donovan potentially back in play if Florida opens?

👉 If you want the deeper breakdown—and the stuff I can’t always say on air—that’s what I put on the paid side at ShowPonyMedia.com. Subscribe today!

👉 My first radio/podcast class launches May 6th at 8 p.m. If you are a podcast or radio host and want to separate your work from the rest and get noticed, do not hesitate to enroll! Sign up today as SPOTS ARE LIMITED!!! Click Here to Sign-Up For My Class!

👉 I’ve had a lot of people reach out lately about starting shows or growing their podcast.

Most people think it’s about equipment—it’s not.

It’s about what to say, how to structure it, and how to actually sound natural.

That’s what I’ve been doing for 20+ years.

👉 I’m opening a few 1-on-1 sessions if you want help getting your show right:E-mail me to book: [email protected]. 1-on-1 sessions start at $250. (Sessions go as long as you need to feel comfortable. At least an hour +)

👉 I’ve also started doing speaking engagements—touchdown clubs, teams, and businesses—on college sports, media, communication, and handling pressure. If that fits your group, e-mail me at [email protected]. for more information.

There are days in sports where everything feels routine.

And then there are days like this.

Today’s episode of Show Pony Today hits all the notes — tension, absurdity, and a little personal discovery along the way.

We start with a moment that perfectly captures the mindset of coaches everywhere. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson made a comment about Indiana’s defense being “simple.” On the surface, it might not sound like much. But in the coaching world? That’s bulletin board material.

And sure enough, Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines didn’t let it slide.

That exchange tells you everything about football culture — respect matters, words matter, and coaches have long memories. I break down why this stuff always hits deeper than fans realize and why it’s something younger players still don’t fully understand.

Then, I did something new.

I went to my first Major League Rugby match here in Nashville — the Music City Showcase featuring the Chicago Hounds and New England Free Jacks.

I’ll be honest… I didn’t know exactly what to expect.

But walking out of there, I started thinking: is this sport more viable in America than we give it credit for?

The physicality is real. The flow is different. And the experience? Surprisingly compelling. I give you my full reaction — what works, what doesn’t, and whether rugby actually has a lane in the U.S. sports landscape.

And then… one of the wildest visuals you’ll ever see.

At a Virginia Tech Hokies spring game — right before the debut of head coach James Franklin — a skydiver crashes into the scoreboard.

Yes. Actually crashes.

It’s one of those moments that reminds you sports aren’t just games anymore — they’re events, spectacles, productions. And sometimes, they go completely off the rails.

That’s today’s show.

Three completely different stories… all somehow perfectly connected by what makes sports great: emotion, unpredictability, and moments you can’t script.

🎧 LISTEN / WATCH NOW

▶️ Full episode available right here on Substack🎙️ Also streaming on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

📣 FINAL THOUGHT

If you enjoy the mix of inside-the-business perspective, daily sports takes, and the occasional “what did I just watch?” moment…

You’re in the right place.

Subscribe, share it, and as always — appreciate you riding with the Show Pony.

After kicking around more names than a spring quarterback battle, I’ve finally landed on one that feels right: Show Pony’s Wildfire. It fits. And yeah… it might change again tomorrow—but for now, this one’s sticking.

We open every Full Ride —with Wildfire by Michael Martin Murphey—a nod to the nickname, The Show Pony, and the spirit of letting it run.

Today’s episode is a true behind-the-curtain look at what makes the daily machine run. My guest is our fearless producer—an absolute staple of the operation—“The American Treasure,” Allie Gehring. If you’ve ever listened to Full Ride and wondered how the sausage gets made… this is the episode.

Here she is unfiltered. The fabulous,esteemed, gifted, and oh so lovely, American Treasure.

The one and only Allison Gehring pulls no punches:

* What it’s really like managing my ADHD brain firing in 12 different directions at once

* How she navigates Rick Neuheisel’s… let’s call it confidence (she might use a stronger word)

* The real, unfiltered process of building a national radio show every single day

We get into show prep, last-minute guest chaos, segment timing, and the stuff you never hear on air—the stress, the laughs, and the moments where it all goes off the rails.

It’s honest, it’s a little chaotic, and it’s exactly what Show Pony’s Wildfire is going to be: real conversations, great stories, and a peek inside the world of sports media from people actually living it.

Lets’s go!

Tomorrow’s Full Ride hits on everything happening right now in sports—but also something deeper that’s been building for a while.

We’re a week out from the NFL Draft, and that’s where we start.

🏈 Zavion Thomas joins the show

We’ll be joined by Zavion Thomas from the LSU Tigers football, a prospect who embodies what this week is all about.

Thomas is one of those guys evaluators keep circling—explosive, versatile, and still ascending. He’s worked his way into the draft conversation the hard way, not handed anything, and now finds himself in that pressure cooker every prospect faces this time of year.

We’ll get into:

* Dealing with the firing of Brian Kelly

* What is he hearing about Lane Kiffin from current players

* The reality of draft prep behind the scenes

* Where he’s landing in mock drafts—and why that range matters

* How he’s handling expectations vs. opportunity

* What teams are really asking in those late-stage meetings

⚾ Todd Walker on SEC baseball—and a question nobody wants to ask

We pivot to the diamond with Todd Walker from the SEC Network.

The Southeastern Conference is, once again, stacked:

* Texas Longhorns baseball

* Georgia Bulldogs baseball

* Alabama Crimson Tide baseball

* Texas A&M Aggies baseball

All legit contenders.

But here’s the twist:None of them are Top 3 in D1Baseball.com right now.

So we’re asking it straight up:

Is the SEC still the king—or is the grip finally slipping when it matters most? UCLA is #1. Will the Big Ten win yet another championship? Stay Tuned…

🎙️ And yeah… I’ve got something to say today

This is going to carry into the podcast—and I’m putting it right here because it’s real.

We were supposed to have Colton Hood on. First-round talent. Big-time opportunity to tell his story heading into next week.

Didn’t happen.He blew us off. Which is fine. That is not the problem, nor is Colton. I am sure he is a lovely kid.

Now let me be clear—this isn’t about crushing one kid. Maybe he forgot. Maybe something came up. That happens.

But it does speak to something bigger that’s been building for a while now.

There’s a growing issue with commitment.

Too many young athletes—and honestly, young people in general—are being raised in an environment where everything feels optional. Where visibility on social media is confused with actual accomplishment. Where the idea of “I made it” shows up way before the work is actually done.

And when that happens, the little things go first:

* Showing up on time

* Learning that if you work hard, good things will come

* Knowing Adversity is good and good for you!

* Honoring commitments

* Understanding that your word still matters

That’s the stuff that used to separate people.

Now? It’s almost treated like it’s negotiable.

Again, I’m not saying that’s exactly what happened here. But I am saying this:

If you want to make it at the next level—whether it’s the NFL or anything else—you better understand that reliability, professionalism, and respect still matter.

Because in the real world, talent gets you noticed.Dependability keeps you there.

🎧 The bigger picture

That’s what tomorrow’s show is really about.

You’ve got a guy like Zavion Thomas grinding through the process, trying to earn his moment.

You’ve got an SEC baseball league fighting to prove it’s still the best when it counts.

And you’ve got a broader cultural shift happening right in front of us—one that’s worth talking about, whether people want to hear it or not.

Plus, we preview the Dallas Renegades vs the Columbus Aviators, week 4, UFL game with coach Richard, and get into storylines that catch our intrigue in the variety of spring games this weekend.

📻 Full Ride — SiriusXM College Sports Radio, Channel 849 AM – 12 PM ET

Draft week. Pressure everywhere.And maybe a little truth people aren’t saying out loud.

Let’s ride.

Always remember,

Peace, Love, and Roll Tide!

If you want to understand where college sports — and football — are headed right now, tomorrow’s Full Ride is loaded.

We’ve got one of the most respected voices in college softball, one of the sharpest evaluators in recruiting and roster building, and a young man whose life is about to change in a matter of days.

Let’s ride.

🥎 Patrick Murphy Joins — Alabama Standard Still the Standard

Patrick Murphy has built one of the most consistent programs in all of college athletics. Not just softball — all of it.

We’ll dive into:

* How Alabama continues to compete at a national level in the loaded SEC

* What it takes to sustain culture in the transfer portal/NIL era

* The evolution of the sport — and why softball’s moment may be bigger than ever

Murphy doesn’t just win — he builds. And in today’s college sports landscape, that matters more than ever.

🏈 Mike Farrell — What the Recruiting World Is Really Saying

Mike Farrell has been in the middle of recruiting coverage for decades, and he’s not afraid to tell you what others won’t.

We’ll hit:

* This week’s spring games including Ohio State, Texas and Michigan

* Discuss Pat Fitzgerald’s first spring at Michigan State

* Storylines about recruiting

If you want truth over hype, Farrell always delivers it, in a grumpy way, of course..

🏈 Colton Hood — Draft Week, Real Life

Tennessee Vols star, Colton Hood joins us as he prepares for next week’s NFL Draft — and this is where it gets real.

We’ll talk:

* The emotional side of draft week — the waiting, the uncertainty

* His journey to this moment and what teams are telling him

* What fans don’t understand about the pre-draft process

This is the part of the sport that never gets enough attention — the human side of it all.

📻 Full Ride with Chris Childers & Rick NeuheiselWeekdays | 9 AM – 12 PM ETSiriusXM College Sports Radio (Channel 84)