The Beat of Sports

Andy Lehren the NBC News investigative reporter shares the details of the NBC News investigation into student athletic fees in college sports and what those fees pay for...like unpurchased game tickets.

Josh Robbins covers the Orlando Magic for The Athletic and joins the show to talk about the latest with the team. He and Marc discuss what the wins on the roadtrip meant and gives an injury update on some of the guys. Plus Josh talks about the decision to ban the media from speaking with players in the locker room.

As more and more cases of the coronavirus spreads sports leagues across the country have decided to limit access to players in the locker rooms. Marc talks about how everyone needs to use common sense when it comes to their decisions about attending sporting events.

While much of the discussion involving the NFL CBA negotiations has revolved around a 17-game season, there is growing talk of the owners looking to do an 18-game season instead. Marc talks about how the amount of money involved with 18-games is why it will happen sooner rather than later.

Amid the growing concern about the coronavirus sports leagues all across the country are wondering what to do. Soccer matches in Italy are being played without fans and now the attention has turned to the NBA and what they might do. Marc talks about what a move by this league would mean to the other sports in the United States.

This weekend the Magic got wins over the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets, Marc talks about with how volatile the Eastern Conference has been the Magic need to get as many of these wins as they can as they prepare for the playoffs.

Jared Weiss of The Athletic joins the show and talks about how Tacko Fall has quickly become a fan favorite...everywhere. He and Marc also discuss how Tacko has dealt with becoming a human victory cigar and if something like that could be detrimental to his career.

Now that ESPN has struck out on getting Tony Romo for Monday Night Football they are working a new plan to bring in Peyton Manning. Along with Manning they are rumored to trying to swing a deal to acquire Al Michaels from NBC. Yes he could be traded twice.

During our weekly sports legal segment Richard Hale and Marc talk about the latest with the Parlay Patz story after his social media threats were discovered. Then they discuss the story of a guy who takes revenge on golf course that has been pelting his house with golf balls.

The Los Angeles Angels fired longtime visiting clubhouse manager after an internal investigation confirmed that he was providing ball-doctoring substances to opposing pitchers, and this Marc to wonder how MLB is allowing a form of cheating like this but when it comes to what the Astros did that breaks the rules.