🎙️ Final Four Fever & Big-Time Breakdown
On this Thursday edition of SportsIQ, Larry Smith sets the stage for Final Four weekend in San Antonio with expert insights and compelling storylines.

🟠 Chris Harry of FloridaGators.com joins to talk about Florida's magical tournament run, Walter Clayton Jr.’s heroics, and head coach Todd Golden’s team-building philosophy.
🐅 Peter Rauterkus of AL.com previews Auburn’s second Final Four appearance under Bruce Pearl, Janai Broome’s injury status, and how Auburn’s tough SEC journey has them battle-tested for the big stage.

🏒 Plus: Alex Ovechkin closes in on Gretzky, buzz around the Texas A&M coaching search, Shohei Ohtani’s heroics, MLB updates, and a look at how stadium drama continues in Chicago.

🎓 And in our final segment, Larry and Tony dive into the chaos of the college basketball transfer portal and why it’s time for some serious guardrails.

❤️ Moment of Awe: A salute to JoMarie Holzhammer, a pickleball enthusiast who saved three lives with her CPR and defibrillator skills.

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We’re past April Fools, and there’s no fooling around as Larry brings you a jam-packed episode of Sports IQ. It’s Final Four week, and we’ve got wall-to-wall coverage featuring two of the hottest teams in college hoops: the Florida Gators and Duke Blue Devils.

📰 Headlines & Highlights:

• Ovi Watch: Alex Ovechkin scores goal No. 891 — now just 4 shy of tying Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record.

• Dodgers Stay Hot: Off to a historic 7-0 start, the Dodgers tie the 1933 Yankees for best-ever start by a defending MLB champion.

• Coaching Carousel: Buzz Williams leaves Texas A&M for Maryland. Who replaces him in College Station?

• NBA Madness: Steph Curry drops 52, Jokic goes for 61 in a double-OT thriller, and Giannis leads the Bucks to a historic 69% shooting night.

• NFL Rule Changes: Producer Tony joins Larry to break down the league’s latest tweaks, including a new kickoff rule and the rise of electronic chains.

🎧 Gator Nation Rises
Guest: Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun

• Florida is Final Four bound! Kevin joins from the airport en route to San Antonio to preview the Gators’ showdown with Auburn.

• Inside Todd Golden’s impressive 3-year turnaround and his analytics-driven approach.

• Player breakdowns: Walter Clayton’s clutch gene, Alex Condon’s post presence, and the impact of 7’1” Micah Handlogten’s return from injury.

• The matchup vs. Auburn: keys to slowing Janiah Broom and why this SEC rivalry could feel like Ali vs. Foreman.

👑 Blue Devils Back in Business
Guest: Steve Wiseman, Raleigh News & Observer

• Duke returns to the Final Four under John Scheyer. Steve shares why this Duke team is different—and maybe the best yet under the young coach.

• Praise for freshman phenoms: Cooper Flagg, Jared McCain, and Malik Malwatch.

• Why Cooper Flagg may be the greatest Duke freshman ever—and why he won’t be back next year.

• Previewing Duke vs. Houston: Defensive battle ahead, and a potential Monday matchup with Florida looms.

📣 NFL Rules Roundtable
With Producer Tony Cordaro

• New touchback rule gives offenses more yardage—are defenses being left behind?

• Tush Push survives another year.

• Christmas NFL tripleheader confirmed—sorry, NBA!

• No 18-game schedule yet, but don’t hold your breath.

• Electronic chains are here: goodbye to paper chains and eyeball measurements?

💡 Moment of Awe: Congrats, Jason Kelce!

• The longtime NFL center and podcast king welcomes his fourth child—a baby girl! Retirement is already getting busy for the former Eagle.

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On this episode of SportsIQ with Larry Smith — no April Fools here, just wall-to-wall college sports coverage!

🏀 Women's Final Four Breakdown
CBS Sports reporter Isabel Gonzalez joins us from Spokane with firsthand insight into the Women's NCAA Tournament. She and Larry dive deep into:

• UConn’s run and Paige Bueckers’ dominance

• Juju Watkins’ heartbreaking injury and USC’s valiant effort

• South Carolina vs. Texas — a defensive showdown in the making

• UCLA’s historic Final Four bid and rising stars

• Who’s under the most pressure in the Final Four? The dynasty or the upstarts?

• Why this year’s parity in women’s basketball is a sign of what’s to come

🍀 Notre Dame Spring Update
Eric Hansen of InsideNDSports.com breaks down:

• The quarterback derby in South Bend

• How Marcus Freeman is growing into the head coaching role

• What to expect from Chris Ash’s revamped defense

• Notre Dame women’s hoops: another Sweet 16, but is it enough?

• Year two under Micah Shrewsberry for men’s hoops — what’s next?

⚾ Baseball Headlines

• Brewers' pitching woes are historic (literally!)

• Richard Sherman’s home invasion scare

• PED suspensions and a rare cycle by a Cubs catcher

• The portal buzz: Olivia Miles' shocking decision

🎓 Final Four Fast Facts
Larry runs through 12 Final Four nuggets you didn’t know — from first-time coaches to Jewish coaching history and record-breaking appearances.

🦉 Moment of Awe:
UConn star Paige Bueckers reaches out to USC’s Juju Watkins after her ACL injury, showing leadership, empathy, and sisterhood beyond the scoreboard.

📺 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and tell a friend. SportsIQ with Larry Smith airs Monday through Friday wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode Summary:On this episode of Sports IQ with Larry Smith, it's all about March Madness mayhem—from buzzer-beaters to backroom drama. Larry breaks down the historic men's and women's Final Four lineups, digs into the wildest coaching saga of the year with Maryland’s Kevin Willard jumping ship to Villanova, and welcomes back frequent guest Colin McNamara of the Testudo Times to unpack the fallout. Later, LA Times writer Ben Bolch joins the show to spotlight UCLA’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Women’s Final Four, and what it means for the program and the city of L.A. Finally, producer Tony Cordaro joins to react to the weekend's top plays, the rise of Florida, and what to expect in San Antonio.

🔍Highlights:

• Why Kevin Willard’s departure from Maryland is one of the messiest in recent memory—and what it means for the Terps’ future

• How the Dirty Dozen bracket formula nailed it again (14-1 record!)

• Why UCLA’s women’s basketball team is peaking at the right time, and the role of "we over me" culture

• Preview of the Men's Final Four matchups: Auburn vs. Florida and Duke vs. Houston

• Who's on Maryland's coaching hot board? A look at potential candidates including Buzz Williams, Luke Murray, and Tony Skinn

• The latest in baseball: Yankees go yard, Padres sweep the Braves, and the Marlins make walk-off history

• Shoutout to Pirates rookie Paul Skenes for his strikeout pledge to veterans through the Gary Sinise Foundation

🏀Final Four Set:
Men:

• Auburn vs. Florida

• Duke vs. Houston

Women (so far):

• UCLA vs. TBD (Winner of USC vs. UConn)

• South Carolina vs. TBD

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On this "Into the Weekend" edition of SportsIQ with Larry Smith, we’re loaded with action across the sports world!

🏀 March Madness Recap:

• Texas Tech stuns Arkansas in an overtime thriller to reach the Elite Eight.

• Florida cruises past Maryland, led by dominant post play and cleaner second-half execution.

• Alabama lights it up with a record 25 threes (!!) against BYU, while Duke survives Arizona in a shootout.

• Looking ahead: Duke vs. Bama promises fireworks, Florida vs. Texas Tech brings contrasting styles.

🎤 Coach Soundbites:

• Hear from John Calipari on Arkansas' season and tough OT loss

• Todd Golden reflects on Florida’s win and tournament journey

• Nate Oats jokes about "regression to the mean" after Alabama's historic 3-point night

• John Scheyer looks ahead to facing Bama after Duke’s Sweet 16 win

🏒 Ovi Watch:
Alex Ovechkin stays at 889 goals, but takes a moment to honor Minnesota goalie Marc-André Fleury in a touching tribute. A class act all around.

⚾ Opening Day Stories:

• Larry reminisces about the epic Cincinnati Reds parade

• Tyler O’Neill makes history with his 6th straight Opening Day home run

👀 Dirty Dozen Update:
How’s Larry’s infamous “Dirty Dozen” bracket buster list holding up? 9 of 12 teams are already out. Find out which ones are still dancing — and which could bust your bracket this weekend.

🏈 Spring Football with Kevin Noon:
Exclusive insight from BuckeyeHuddle.com's Kevin Noon on Ohio State’s post-title adjustments, Ryan Day’s new coordinators, and the future of spring games in the NIL/transfer portal era. Plus, how college football is becoming more NFL-like by the day.

💥 Elite 8 Preview:

• Michigan State vs. Ole Miss

• Auburn vs. Michigan

• Kentucky vs. Tennessee (3rd meeting!)

• Houston vs. Purdue in a heavyweight showdown

🌯 Moment of "Aww":
Chipotle got a bad rap on MLB’s Opening Day… but was it really the burrito’s fault?

📲 Don’t miss a second—follow, rate, and share SportsIQ with Larry Smith as we dive deep into college hoops, football, and the biggest stories in sports.

In this action-packed edition of SportsIQ with Larry Smith, we dive headfirst into the NCAA Men’s Sweet 16 matchups with expert insights, behind-the-scenes access, and under-the-radar stories you won’t hear anywhere else.

🏀 On Today’s Show:

• BYU’s Big Moment – Darnell Dickson from the Daily Herald joins Larry to break down BYU’s surge under new coach Kevin Young, the impact of NIL, and what a win over Alabama would mean for the Cougars and their national footprint.
• Was it a Travel? – Colin McNamara, managing editor of Testudo Times, takes us inside Maryland’s buzzer-beating win over Colorado State, addresses the controversial travel call, and previews tonight’s Florida-Maryland battle.
• Sweet 16 Breakdown – David Cobb from CBSSports.com gives us a coast-to-coast preview of all eight matchups, offers bold predictions, and shares his Final Four picks.
• Sweet 16 Trivia – 16 things you probably didn’t know about this year’s Sweet 16, from Bruce Pearl’s historical significance to the surprising valuation of MLB’s Athletics.

🎙️ Featured Guests:

• Darnell Dickson – BYU beat writer, Daily Herald
• Colin McNamara – Managing Editor, Testudo Times
• David Cobb – College Basketball Writer, CBS Sports

🔑 Key Topics:

• BYU’s national rise, recruiting strategy, and Big 12 transition
• Derrick Queen’s controversial buzzer-beater and the reality of viral outrage
• Sweet 16 coaching legends: Tom Izzo, Bruce Pearl, and the future of Houston
• Why Duke vs. Arizona is must-watch TV
• Are Cinderella teams a thing of the past?

📍 Games to Watch Tonight:

• BYU vs. Alabama
• Maryland vs. Florida
• Arkansas vs. Texas Tech
• Duke vs. Arizona

💡 Fun Fact: BYU has made 31 NCAA tournament appearances—the most of any school without a Final Four berth. Could this be the year?

—

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On this episode of SportsIQ with Larry Smith, we go beyond the buzzer to break down everything you need to know about the NCAA Sweet 16 and the fast-approaching NFL Draft. 🏀🏈

🔹 NCAA Tournament Talk:
We welcome Purdue play-by-play voice Rob Blackman to preview the Boilermakers' huge Sweet 16 showdown vs. Houston. From Matt Painter’s 20-year legacy to what Purdue learned from its Fairleigh Dickinson loss, it’s a deep dive into one of college basketball’s most consistent programs.

🔹 NFL Draft Deep Dive:
CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Josh Edwards joins Producer Tony to scout top QB prospects like Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, and to spotlight under-the-radar stars like Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Want late-round sleepers and small-school names to watch? We've got 'em.

🔹 Plus:
🏒 Ovechkin chases history
💸 NIL & transfer portal chaos
🌍 NBA explores a EuroLeague
🏀 Records that will never be broken in March Madness
👏 DJ Lagway's incredible $100K donation to Gator athletics

Make sure to subscribe, leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review, and keep the Sports in Queue!

March Madness, NCAA Tournament, Sweet 16, Purdue Basketball, Houston Cougars, Matt Painter, Rob Blackman, SportsIQ Podcast, DJ Lagway, NIL donation, Florida Gators football, Josh Edwards, CBS Sports, NFL Draft, Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, NFL Draft sleepers, NBA Europe, NBA EuroLeague, Alex Ovechkin goals, NCAA scoring records, college basketball trivia, college football NIL, SportsIQ with Larry Smith

The madness continues in Episode 17 of Sports IQ with Larry Smith as we hit full stride in March!

🎙️ Today’s Highlights:

• Sweet 16 Surprise! Arkansas is dancing deep into the NCAA tournament! Larry welcomes Jackson Fuller of the Southwest Times Record to break down the Razorbacks' shocking turnaround, John Calipari’s impact, and how a mid-season injury actually sparked this team’s resurgence.
• Tears & Triumphs:
• Juju Watkins, USC’s superstar guard, suffers a devastating ACL tear in the second round. What does this mean for USC, women's hoops, and her future?
• Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers and UConn punch their 31st straight Sweet 16 ticket — that’s not a typo.
• Boxing Legend Remembered:
  Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein joins the show to reflect on the life and legacy of the late George Foreman. From world champ to grill king, Bernstein shares personal stories of George’s wit, wisdom, and powerful second act.
• Dan Hurley Drama:
  A postgame tunnel comment goes viral — and now there’s an investigation. Is the UConn coach pushing the limits too far?
• Moment of Ahh:
  McNeese State’s team manager Amir Khan goes viral — and viral pays! NIL deals from Under Armour and more make this manager a March Madness star.

🧠 Stay sharp. Stay curious. Stay in the game.
Subscribe, share, and follow @SportsIQLS on YouTube for our Moment of Ahh video shorts and bonus trivia content.

#SportsIQ #MarchMadness #GeorgeForeman #ArkansasBasketball #Sweet16 #JujuWatkins #NCAAW #JohnCalipari #DanHurley #Boxing #CollegeBasketball #WomensHoops #NIL #UConn #AmirKhan #LarrySmith #AlBernstein #Razorbacks

In this episode of Sports IQ with Larry Smith, March Madness is living up to its name — but not in the usual underdog way. Larry unpacks a wild weekend of NCAA tournament action, where the so-called “Cinderellas” have vanished and the power conferences have taken control. With the Sweet 16 set, CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney stops by to break down the women's tournament, from Notre Dame’s resurgence to JuJu Watkins and UConn’s high-powered offense.

Then, a tribute to boxing legend George Foreman — not just the fighter, but the icon, the pitchman, and the grillmaster. Larry shares personal stories about the late heavyweight champ that’ll make you laugh and reflect.

Finally, John Walton, the longtime voice of the Washington Capitals, joins the show to talk Alex Ovechkin's epic quest to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. He opens up about Ovi’s legacy, the magic of D.C. hockey, and his own journey back from cancer.

Plus, Larry and producer Tony Cordaro take a hard look at the disappearing mid-majors in men's hoops, what NIL and the transfer portal are really doing to the tournament, and why this might be the new normal.

📌 Don’t miss:

• Why women’s NCAA first rounds lack drama — and why the Sweet 16 could be a different story

• Tennessee’s hockey-line subbing strategy and what makes Texas vulnerable

• John Calipari’s quiet comeback with Arkansas

• A “moment of awe” from Mount St. Mary’s that’ll melt your heart

💡 Follow us on YouTube at SportsIQ LS for exclusive trivia and tournament tidbits!

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March Madness is madder than ever! On this “Fri-Yay” edition of SportsIQ with Larry Smith, we break down the biggest upsets, the rising stars, and the buzzer-beaters from Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament.

🏀 NCAA Tournament Reactions:
From Clemson’s near-collapse to Gonzaga’s domination and McNeese State’s gritty win, we dive into all the madness from Round 1—and preview today’s top matchups.

🌟 JUJU WATKINS & USC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL:
Cooper Perkins (host of the Bleav in USC podcast) joins the show to talk about Juju Watkins' superstar rise, USC's No. 1 seed in the women’s NCAA tournament, and what makes this Trojans team Final Four ready.

🔥 Is Juju the next Caitlin Clark? Is USC women's hoops now the ticket in L.A.? Find out.

🏈 PENN STATE FOOTBALL SPRING REPORT:
Mike Gross (Lancaster Newspapers) stops by to talk Penn State's College Football Playoff momentum, NIL strategy, coaching changes, and the latest from State College as spring ball ramps up.

💰 Plus, we touch on:

• Alex Ovechkin closing in on Wayne Gretzky's goal record
• The $6.1 billion sale of the Boston Celtics
• The upcoming Masters Champion’s Dinner menu
• The top games to watch this weekend in both the men's and women's tournaments

🎧 Perfect for:
Sports fans tracking March Madness, women’s college basketball, USC athletics, college football spring reports, and Penn State football news.

📅 New episodes drop weekdays — follow SportsIQ with Larry Smith for smart, fun, and insightful sports takes every day!