The Best of the Sports Shop

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss Ben Roethlisberger's opinion on Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers and tonight's Thursday Night Football matchup.

The Detroit Lions host the Dallas Cowboys tonight on Thursday Night Football in a game that is pivotal for both teams’ playoff hopes. The game kicks off at 8:15 PM ET at Ford Field in Detroit, with Detroit entering at 7‑5 and Dallas at 6‑5‑1. The Lions are fighting to stay in the NFC wild‑card hunt, while the Cowboys are riding a three‑game winning streak and aiming to maintain momentum. Dallas brings one of the league’s top offenses while Detroit will have to navigate the injury bug. On defense, Detroit is dealing with injuries, especially in the secondary and on offense, wide receiver Amon‑Ra St. Brown is questionable and tight end Sam LaPorta is out. Last season, Detroit had a dominant 47-9 road win over Dallas. Will Detroit win again?

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger recently suggested Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin leave Pittsburgh and listed Penn State as a potential destination. Is Roethlisberger right? Should Tomlin leave the Steelers? Should Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh face the same criticism Tomlin is currently facing?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Mandal.

Mandal is a comedian based out of Atlanta, Georgia. He has been seen and heard on Adult Swim, Netflix Is A Joke Radio and Don’t Tell Comedy. He was just selected as Netflix Is A Joke’s Introducing Comics and is currently developing an animated series with Adult Swim. Mandal recently opened for John Mulaney at the Hollywood Bowl and his Netflix series Everybody's in LA.

Mandal is performing at Goodnights Comedy Club this weekend: Friday, Dec 5, 2025 at 7:30 PM and 9:45 PM, Saturday, Dec 6, 2025 at 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM and Sunday, Dec 7, 2025 at 7:30 PM.

https://www.goodnightscomedy.com/events/120574

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Katharine Eberhardt of NCFC.

Katharine Eberhardt is the Chief Marketing & Development Officer of NCFC Youth. The NCFC Youth Showcase Series takes place over four weekends, bringing players and families from all over the country to the Triangle.

For more information visit: ncfcyouth.com

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss Throwback Thursday and speak with CL Brown and GameDay Charlie.

It is Throwback Thursday! What year are we going to and why? 

CL Brown joins the Sports Shop to discuss the ACC/SEC Challenge and more.

Gameday Charlie discusses NC State’s loss to Auburn, Duke sports and more.

Reese, Pam and Alex speak with Dr. Deborah Stroman.

Dr. Stroman discusses the 2025 ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, Duke vs LSU tonight and the landscape of  ACC basketball and ACC football.

Duke and Virginia will meet in the 2025 ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 6, at 8:00 PM ET in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s a historic matchup, as neither program has ever won an outright ACC football title, and for Virginia, coming off a strong 10-2 season, a victory could elevate them into serious College Football Playoff consideration. Virginia reached the championship by finishing 7-1 in ACC play and closing their season with a dominant win over Virginia Tech. Duke, meanwhile, enters at 7-5 after emerging from a multi-team tiebreaker scenario, relying on a productive offense but struggling defensively throughout the season. The two teams played earlier on November 15, a game Virginia won 34-17, though both coaching staffs say this championship meeting is essentially a reset. Is this good for the ACC?

Duke hosts LSU tonight at 9:00 PM ET in Cameron Indoor Stadium as part of the ACC/SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge. LSU enters ranked No. 5 nationally and No. 1 in the NET rankings. Duke, meanwhile, comes in 3-5 after a difficult early schedule. Will you be watching? How will this game go?

What’s going on in the ACC in both basketball and football?

Reese, Pam and Alex discuss NC State's loss to Auburn last night in the ACC/SEC Challenge and the Cowboys vs Lions game tonight.

No. 20 Auburn defeated NC State 83-73 in the ACC/SEC Challenge last night. Auburn was powered by standout performances from Kevin Overton and Keyshawn Hall. Overton scored a career-high 29 points on efficient shooting, going 8-for-13 from the field, 6-for-9 from three, and a perfect 7-for-7 at the line, while adding nine rebounds. Hall contributed a dominant 28-point, 10-rebound double-double and hit key shots, including a crucial three-pointer during a 10-0 second-half run that helped Auburn pull away. The Tigers shot exceptionally well, hitting about 59% overall and 55% from beyond the arc and maintained control despite an early 13-0 NC State run that briefly tied the game. The win extended Auburn’s nation-leading streak to 65 straight home victories in non-conference play. What does Will Wade think of his team’s performance?

The Detroit Lions host the Dallas Cowboys tonight on Thursday Night Football in a game that is pivotal for both teams’ playoff hopes. The game kicks off at 8:15 PM ET at Ford Field in Detroit, with Detroit entering at 7‑5 and Dallas at 6‑5‑1. The Lions are fighting to stay in the NFC wild‑card hunt, while the Cowboys are riding a three‑game winning streak and aiming to maintain momentum. Dallas brings one of the league’s top offenses while Detroit will have to navigate the injury bug. On defense, Detroit is dealing with injuries, especially in the secondary and on offense, wide receiver Amon‑Ra St. Brown is questionable and tight end Sam LaPorta is out. Last season, Detroit had a dominant 47-9 road win over Dallas. Will Detroit win again?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with 2 members of the Western Wake Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.

Thriving Through the Holidays: Soulful Strength will be an uplifting evening of connection, conversation and community as they explore ways to manage stress, strengthen resilience and nurture emotional well-being this holiday season. Enjoy inspiring discussions, practical tools, and a warm dinner as many come together to reflect, recharge and thrive through the holidays!

The event is this coming Monday, December 8at the Garner Recreation Center located at 215 West Main Street, Garner, NC 27529

For more information, go to Eventbrite and type: Thriving Through the Holidays

www.westernwakedst.org

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss if Alabama could miss the CFP.

The Alabama Crimson Tide jumped the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the last College Football Playoff Rankings before the final CFP rankings. Alabama is ninth in the rankings. What should the final rankings look like? Should Alabama be ahead of Notre Dame in the CFP Rankings? Could Alabama miss the CFP?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss Alabama Football and the CFP.

The Alabama Crimson Tide jumped the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the last College Football Playoff Rankings before the final CFP rankings. Alabama is ninth in the rankings. What should the final rankings look like? Should Alabama be ahead of Notre Dame in the CFP Rankings?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss the Clippers cutting ties with Chris Paul. 

Chris Paul was abruptly sent home by the Los Angeles Clippers late last night in a surprising mid-season move. Paul confirmed the decision himself around 3 a.m. ET with a social-media post. According to reporting, the Clippers insisted the move was not due to Paul’s individual play but rather part of broader changes amid the team’s disappointing 5-16 start. 40-year-old Paul in what he has called his final NBA season, had been playing limited bench minutes, averaging about 2.9 points and 3.3 assists. The decision effectively ends his brief return to the Clippers and raises questions about what comes next. What happened? What’s next for Chris Paul? Was this handled correctly? Was CP3 disrespected?