The Best of the Sports Shop

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Steve Lovell.

Steve Lovell is the Associate Director of Advertising and Sponsorship at Garmin International. Durham, North Carolina has been selected as the newest host city for the Garmin Marathon Series. This marks only the third official location for the growing series, following Toledo, Ohio and Tucson, Arizona.

Lovell joined the Sports Shop to discuss the significance of this announcement for Durham, highlighting that this is more than just a race—it’s a first-of-its-kind collaboration between local powerhouses like the Durham Sports Commission, the Durham Bulls and Duke University. Lovell also explained why Garmin selected Durham as the next stop in the series.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026, and will include a full marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K, making it accessible to runners of all levels. Registration opened October 2, 2025, at garmin.com/marathons. In addition to the races, the weekend will include a two-day expo, live music, food, and appearances by Garmin-sponsored athletes—cementing the experience as both a sporting and cultural celebration.

For more information visit: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/garmin-marathon-series/

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss Reese's experience at the introductory press conference for Michael Malone.

Yesterday marked two weeks since the University of North Carolina fired former head coach Hubert Davis and the search for his replacement has now concluded with the hiring of Michael Malone, former head coach of the Denver Nuggets. UNC conducted a high-profile search aimed at sustaining its tradition of excellence, prioritizing candidates with NCAA Tournament success, strong recruiting ties and the ability to maintain the program’s winning culture. Ultimately, the school made a bold and historic choice, hiring Malone, an NBA champion known for building disciplined, high-performing teams, marking the first time in decades that UNC has gone outside its traditional “Carolina family.” At his introductory press conference at the Dean Smith Center yesterday, Malone emphasized that UNC was the only college job he would consider and outlined a vision centered on NBA-level development while respecting the program’s storied history. Still, the hire raises important questions: is Malone the right fit for the college game, was he UNC’s best option, or did the program ultimately settle?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Phil Ford.

Phil Ford, UNC legend and former Tar Heels guard, joins the Sports Shop to discuss UNC hiring Mike Malone as their new head basketball coach. Ford shares his perspective on what Malone’s NBA experience could bring to the program, how this hire departs from UNC’s tradition of promoting from within and what challenges lie ahead in recruiting, player development and meeting the high expectations of Tar Heel fans. Is Malone the right guy for the job?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss UNC’s decision to hire Michael Malone as their new head basketball coach, examining whether he was the right choice, how his NBA experience might translate to the college game and what this bold move means for the future of the Tar Heels’ program and the ACC landscape.

Today marks two weeks since UNC fired former head coach Hubert Davis and the search for his replacement has officially concluded. As of yesterday, the Tar Heels have hired Michael Malone, the former head coach of the Denver Nuggets, after launching a high-profile search aimed at continuing the program’s tradition of excellence. The search focused on candidates with proven NCAA Tournament experience, strong recruiting connections and the ability to uphold UNC’s winning culture.

Malone brings extensive NBA experience and a reputation for building disciplined, high-performing teams. His hire marks the first time in decades that UNC has looked outside the traditional “UNC family” for a head coach. It also signals a shift toward professional-level coaching strategies, with the program hoping Malone’s NBA pedigree will translate into immediate success at the collegiate level. Is Malone the right guy for the job? Was Mike Malone UNC's best option or only option? Did UNC settle for Malone?

Reese, Pam and Alex speak with Art Chansky. 

Art Chansky is a longtime UNC insider with decades of experience covering Tar Heel basketball. Chansky joins the Sports Shop to discuss UNC’s surprising hire of Michael Malone as the new head basketball coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels. He weighs in on what Malone’s NBA background brings to the program, how this departure from the traditional “UNC family” approach could impact the team, and whether this bold move is the right choice for a program with such a storied history. Was this a good hire? Will it work out?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss UNC hiring Michael Malone as their new head basketball coach. Michael Malone is the former head coach of the Denver Nuggets.

Today marks two weeks since UNC fired former head coach Hubert Davis and the search for his replacement has officially concluded. As of yesterday, the Tar Heels have hired Michael Malone, the former head coach of the Denver Nuggets, after launching a high-profile search aimed at continuing the program’s tradition of excellence. The search focused on candidates with proven NCAA Tournament experience, strong recruiting connections and the ability to uphold UNC’s winning culture.

Malone brings extensive NBA experience and a reputation for building disciplined, high-performing teams. His hire marks the first time in decades that UNC has looked outside the traditional “UNC family” for a head coach. It also signals a shift toward professional-level coaching strategies, with the program hoping Malone’s NBA pedigree will translate into immediate success at the collegiate level. Is Malone the right guy for the job?

Reese, Pam and Alex discuss Michigan’s championship win over the UConn Huskies and a defining moment for Elliot Cadeau, whose transfer from the North Carolina Tar Heels transformed him from a promising but inconsistent player, into the leader of a national title team.

The Michigan Wolverine’s 69-63 win over the UConn Huskies in the national championship carried major historical weight and a compelling individual storyline. UConn entered as a modern powerhouse under Dan Hurley, while Michigan Wolverines men's basketball was chasing its first title since 1989 and looking to end the Big Ten’s long drought. The game stayed tight, but Michigan pulled away late. The standout was Elliot Cadeau, who scored 19 points and earned Final Four MOP honors. A former five-star recruit at the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball, he showed promise but never fully broke out before transferring after the 2025 season. At Michigan, he found the right fit, becoming the team’s leader and guiding them to a title. His success highlights the power of the transfer portal in today’s game and serves as a “what if” for UNC, while Michigan’s win signals a return to national prominence and UConn remains an elite program despite the loss.

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss UNC’s ongoing search for a new men’s basketball coach, debate why the program remains without a hire two weeks after Hubert Davis was fired, weigh whether the decision to let Davis go was premature or necessary to preserve the Tar Heels’ winning culture and preview tonight's National Championship game.

Tomorrow marks two weeks since UNC fired former head coach Hubert Davis. Since then, UNC has launched a high-profile search for its next men’s basketball head coach, aiming to continue the program’s tradition of excellence. The search has focused on candidates with proven NCAA Tournament experience, strong recruiting ties and the ability to maintain the Tar Heels’ winning culture. Despite all this, UNC is still without a coach. Why is that? Who will be the next UNC men's basketball coach? Was firing Hubert Davis a knee-jerk reaction?

Tonight, the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship tips off as the Michigan Wolverines face the UConn Huskies at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Michigan comes in riding momentum from a dominant Final Four win over Arizona. UConn, meanwhile, has also reached the title game, continuing the program’s long tradition of excellence. Beyond the championship itself, this game carries bigger implications: a win for UConn would cement head coach Dan Hurley’s legacy and reaffirm the Huskies’ place among college basketball elites, while Michigan has the chance to capture its first national title since 1989 and solidify its status as a powerhouse under coach Dusty May. Who will win?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss Michigan’s dominant Final Four win over Arizona, preview tonight’s men’s championship matchup against UConn and UCLA’s commanding performance over South Carolina to capture their first women’s national title.

The Final Four matchup between Michigan Wolverines and Arizona Wildcats over the weekend quickly turned into a one-sided performance, as Michigan came out aggressive, built an early lead and never let Arizona get comfortable, rolling to a convincing win to secure a spot in the national championship game. Michigan controlled the game almost immediately and kept up their pressure throughout. How will Michigan fare tonight against UConn?

The UCLA Bruins defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks in dominant fashion in the women's national  championship gamenational championship game yesterday. UCLA controlled the game from the opening tip, built an early lead and never looked back, overwhelming South Carolina on both ends of the floor. The Gamecocks, one of the most dominant teams all season, struggled to find any rhythm and couldn’t generate enough offense to keep pace. In the end, it was UCLA's first NCAA women’s basketball championship. How impressive was UCLA?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss Geno Auriemma’s controversial Final Four exchange with Dawn Staley, break down the unresolved apology drama and preview tonight’s men’s national championship clash between UConn and Michigan and what a UConn victory could mean for Dan Hurley’s legacy.

On Friday night, the UConn Huskies lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four, ending their tournament run. Following the Final Four loss, Geno Auriemma had a heated, very public exchange with Dawn Staley in the closing moments, reportedly sparked by frustration over a missed pregame interaction and the intensity of the game itself. It quickly became one of the biggest storylines coming out of the night. The next day, Auriemma issued what he called an apology, saying there was no excuse for how he handled the situation and acknowledging he was out of line. But the part that’s really keeping the conversation alive is that he apologized generally to South Carolina’s players and program, without directly naming Staley. She later said she hadn’t personally heard from him, which leaves this in a bit of a gray area: technically an apology, but not exactly a clean resolution, and definitely something that still has people talking. What's up with Geno Auriemma?

Tonight, the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game is on tap, with the UConn Huskies men's basketball facing off against the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Who will win? If UConn wins, what does that do for Dan Hurley's legacy?