In this edition of TBL News: The Pod, Brad Smith details how Glass City burst out of the All Star break with a sudden ability to crash the boards, and used that new-found ability to beat Flint 89-81 despite an off night for Chris Darrington. Then: The Game IV. Kokomo. The Best of the Midwest remains the Kats, as Darrington, Carmon & Co. nearly captured - but ultimately fell short - their first W over Kokomo this season.

Music by Slip.stream:

The Kokomo BobKats and Albany Patroons both enter the All-Star break at 9-2. Owen and Jack detail their Week 5 performances and look to their respective playoff potential as we enter the All-Star break. And, with said All-Star break in mind, Owen and Jack relay the considerations taken when drafting their Ultimate TBL Starting 5s.

Music by Slip.stream:

If this season ended today, April 11, 2023, Glass City's Chris Darrington would have a substantial case to make for MVP. But coming off a 2-10 performance in the TBL All Star Game, one can't help but wonder if he can sustain his torrid scoring pace, which sees him putting in 32.9 points per game. Brad Smith has been closely covering the Wranglers all season hasn't got a shred of concern about Mr. Darrington's ability to put point on the board, but continues to send messages to the basketball gods to bless Glass City with great glass cleaning (rebounding) performances as the season heads towards the playoffs.

Music by Slip.stream:

At the time of this recording, April 5, 2023, Chris Darrington of the Glass City Wranglers is second in TBL in scoring at 32.9ppg. This is the longest podcast we've done on TBL News: The Pod, and honestly, it could have gone on twice as long. In fact, in a way, it did. Much of the conversation with Chris will remain forever private and unseen by the public because the pre-production got deep, it got real, and we weren't yet rolling. Fortunately for TBL fans far and wide, Chris will be returning. Chris is intense, he is level-headed and clear-minded, and expresses himself honestly and concisely. Needless to say, this was a most gratifying interview to conduct. Enjoy.

Music by Cheerry Red

"Easy Steps"

Can't Explain This Kind of Crazy (Hard Pack Records, 2021)

https://open.spotify.com/track/2GqcDEoyjeGDFxikk0KBmo?si=5ffd7cc1883c4505

And by Slip.stream:

At the time of this recording, April 5, 2023, Chris Darrington of the Glass City Wranglers is second in TBL in scoring at 32.9ppg. This is the longest podcast we've done on TBL News: The Pod, and honestly, it could have gone on twice as long. In fact, in a way, it did. Much of the conversation with Chris will remain forever private and unseen by the public because the pre-production got deep, it got real, and we weren't yet rolling. Fortunately for TBL fans far and wide, Chris will be returning. Chris is intense, he is level-headed and clear-minded, and expresses himself honestly and concisely. Needless to say, this was a most gratifying interview to conduct. Enjoy.

Music by Cheerry Red

"Easy Steps"

Can't Explain This Kind of Crazy (Hard Pack Records, 2021)

https://open.spotify.com/track/2GqcDEoyjeGDFxikk0KBmo?si=5ffd7cc1883c4505

And by Slip.stream:

(01:50) Wranglers Week 5 recap PART ONE: Two cardiac moments in a pair of wins over Kalamazoo and West Virginia begin with Chris Darrington hitting yet another extraordinary game-winning buzzer beater to cap a season-high 47-point performance

(08:18) Wranglers Week 5 recap PART TWO: The second of two buzzer beaters, this one put in by Jonathan Brown in a game in which Chris Darrington didn't even play

(15:41) Drafting the Ultimate TBL Starting 5

(00:15) Who won, who lost, which players had big games in Week 5?

(13:35) Current Conference leaders as we hit the All Star break

(14:43) Leaders: Scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, steals

(16:02) So long! See you this weekend for TBL All Star Weekend 2023 from Lehigh Valley.

Music by Slip.stream:

Potawatomi suffered their first loss of the season, at the hands of their in-state rivals, the Enid Outlaws. The loss posited the Fire a second-place team for the first time this season, as the 7-1 Wichita Sky Kings assumed the top spot in the Central. Isaac expresses a complete and total lack of concern about the Fire's future, and diagrams what we as fans ought to look out for as the season progresses, through the approaching All Star break, and into the postseason.

Music by Slip.stream:

"A Pack A Day" - https://slip.stream/tracks/8cbee134-fd28-42ae-89a8-869d42ce23b9

"Past And Present" - https://slip.stream/tracks/3cd92d18-cc4c-4873-8f66-86284ec25f7d

Chris returns, this time a the voice of the first-place Kokomo BobKats, not to be confused with just the Kokomo BobKats. He fields silly questions like "Do you have any concerns about Derek Hawthorne" with the sort of aplomb which exists only in the most savvy of sports broadcasters. We discuss Kokomo's big Week 4, which included two wins over Glass City to vault them into first in the Upper Midwest; we talk about the potential of a pre-All Star break lull; and what the postseason might portend for the currently 7-2 BobKats.

Music by Slip.stream: "A Pack A Day" - https://slip.stream/tracks/8cbee134-fd28-42ae-89a8-869d42ce23b9 "Past And Present" - https://slip.stream/tracks/3cd92d18-cc4c-4873-8f66-86284ec25f7d

The Fire suffer a rare loss! Their first defeat of the season comes at the hands of their in-state rivals, the Enid Outlaws. The L booted Potawatomi out of first place in the Central, but Chris Cox explains exactly why Fire Nation ought not to get too nervous. Details matter. Scheduling matters. Matchups matter.