Skates Takes

On this episode we start with another one of Dad's Food Laws of the Universe, and that is nothing is allowed in brownies except nuts. Nate says otherwise. So we do a blind taste test to see how Dad reacts to brownies with what Dad calls "horrors" in them. Then we talk the Braves disappointing loss to what was a great season before going to the Alabama vs. Georgia game this weekend, including a great take from DawgNation's Brandon Adams. Dad tells a story of riding in a car with Coach Mark Richt for two hours where he got the full story on Georgia's crushing loss to Alabama in the 2012 SEC Championship Game. Then we make our picks for ten games this weekend and talk about the lack of upsets this year.

Week 4 games are in. Nate went 8-1. Dad went 6-3. We break down Texas-Tennessee, Florida-Ole Miss, Iowa-Michigan, and more! We unveil our Top 10s where Dad has Texas ranked where?! Plus Braves playoff talk and why we hate MLB’s playoff format.

On today’s episode of the show we introduce a now famous part of our family’s lore: Dad’s food laws. Dad has very strong views on food and loves to share them so we are introducing a new segment where he lets you know culinary abominations he will not tolerate. While Dad cooks in the kitchen, we make hope we’re cooking with the picks and give our reasons for picking 8 games this week. Tune in and let us know your views on food and your game predictions!

Imagine seeing who Brett Favre could be before anyone knew his name nationally. But just as your team survives it's brush with one of the game’s greatest players of all time, you take a sucker punch to the jaw and nearly lose consciousness. When you shake out the cobwebs you find it was your best friend, and now he’s hugging your wife! That’s just one of the stories Taron shares on this show where we talk a changing world of fandom and ticket sales, week 2’s big moments, and lots of fun.

Georgia’s white helmets have created a rift between fans. Love them or hate them? We love them and talk about the right use of alternate uniforms. The jersey talk goes into a story of when Dad’s zeal for the Atlanta Falcons turned into a hilarious scene at a mall with the quarterback. Then we talk our week 2 picks!

Episode 2 starts with a funny story about Dad’s not so great football career including having to babysit the coach’s kids during a game that ended with trip to the bathroom and a public address by the announcer. Then we talk about the controversy surrounding the end of the Michigan-Western Michigan game, did Western Michigan get robbed? Also our biggest takeaways from Week 1 including Nate is tired of coaches going for two, Ole Miss and Louisville’s great game, and the SEC-Big Ten debate. Plus our thoughts on a great game for Georgia!

In the first ever episode of the new Skates Takes, Dad and Nate give their top five teams in the SEC going into the season, make picks on seven key games, dish out their hot takes including who’s getting too much credit and who isn’t getting enough. Could SMU be a top 10 team and playoff dark horse? Tune in and see!

A tense stare-down turns into a full-on MLB brawl, and the most unforgettable part is who shuts it down: Braves manager Walt Weiss, 62 years old, stepping in like a linebacker to stop Jorge Soler and keep the situation from getting uglier. I break down what led to Reynaldo Lopez vs Soler, why the aftermath matters, and what the suspensions actually mean going forward.

Then I zoom out to the Atlanta Braves’ first 13 games and why I feel better than I expected. Even with major pitching injuries, Atlanta is playing winning baseball and the numbers are eye-opening: a league-leading team ERA, shutouts piling up, and starters and bullpen arms delivering real consistency. I also dig into the offense, including why the lineup is still producing even with some stars not fully clicking, and how surprise contributors like Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubón change the early story.

From there, we get practical with fantasy baseball, focusing on waiver wire targets in ESPN leagues for both pitching and hitting, plus a few traps to avoid when a hot streak fades. I wrap with quick takes on Georgia Bulldogs baseball surging up the polls and Georgia basketball getting hit hard by the transfer portal, then I ask for help on a very specific categories-league problem: who should we be targeting for holds?

Subscribe for more Braves talk, share this with a friend who lives on the waiver wire, and leave a review if you want more weekly breakdowns and Georgia sports updates.

Missing a tackle. Dropping a pass. Standing at the line knowing every eye feels locked on you. For some athletes, that pressure is not motivation, it is panic and it can hijack performance, health, and the ability to enjoy the sport at all.

We sit down with Michael Schiferl, a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist and the owner of Trailhead Counseling Services, to talk about sports anxiety and performance anxiety in a way that is practical and honest. 

Nate gives his personal story of dealing with sports anxiety and how it derailed his lifelong love of playing sports.

We dig into the difference between normal nerves and a bigger problem, including red flags parents and coaches can watch for like nausea, GI issues, chronic tension, fatigue, appetite changes, withdrawal, and the mental spiral of catastrophizing and rumination.

Then we get concrete. Michael explains “above-the-neck” anxiety (the thoughts) versus “below-the-neck” anxiety (the body) and shares tools athletes can use right away: diaphragmatic breathing, muscle relaxation, grounding through your senses, and even quick temperature shifts like cold water to jolt the body out of fight-or-flight. We also talk about why avoidance quietly makes anxiety stronger and how exposure to mistakes and embarrassment can retrain the brain over time.

We close with what to say and what not to say to an anxious athlete, plus how to find a therapist who fits your values using consultations and resources like Psychology Today. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a coach or parent, and leave a review. What part of sports makes you most anxious right now?