The Chris Rawle Show

Every fan hopes this is the year their team wins the championship. It's the great lure of sports, because hope realized offers a sense of fullness and awe that very few things do. The Stanley Cup playoffs begin soon and this means, especially for fans of a team like the Colorado Avalanche, it's time to hope.

Both Steph Curry and Connor McDavid are having transcendent offensive seasons. Both are interesting case studies in how we celebrate and judge individual success, especially when team success doesn't follow.

The NBA play-in format is generating buzz, increasing competition, and creating spectacular theater. Why aren't more professional sports leagues experimenting with the process of trial and error, and finding a balance between what is most scintillating for the consumer and what is most equitable in determining a champion?

Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to play for the Green Bay Packers. The Green Bay Packers want Aaron Rodgers to play for them, but have shown no sense of urgency in maximizing his championship window. It seems like the end is near, which means it's also time to reflect on a quarterback whose team demanded him to be perfect in order to win.

The game of ice hockey is a beautiful sport built upon speed, skill, physicality, and violence. To some extent, the history of hockey is a history of violence and because of this, the NHL is continually facing a very hard question without clear answers: what is the acceptable level of violence in a sport that has always celebrated it in the past?

Nikola Jokic is a -500 favorite to win the MVP, one of the most unique players in basketball, and is being celebrated for his accomplishments. From a roster construction standpoint, Jokic and the Nuggets are mirror images of the Utah Jazz, a small market team featuring a unique player of their own in Rudy Gobert. As we examine both teams and players, how do we refuse the old means of measurement?

The Phoenix Suns are currently the #1 seed in the NBA, yet lack the playoff experience many believe is a prerequisite for winning a championship. Chris examines the idea of being baptized by fire, the fine line between "taking your lumps" and becoming a "playoff loser," and the notable playoff failures of MJ and Lebron.

The first round of the NFL Draft is complete. Teams are drafting more quarterbacks in the top 10 than ever before and less running backs, engaging with the idea that the easiest way to create hope for an NFL franchise is to draft a first round quarterback.

The NBA and NHL playoffs are quickly approaching, gambling is being embraced by professional sports leagues as both a revenue stream and a way to strengthen emotional bonds, and the lure of believing your team is destined to win a championship.

What does college football mean to each individual? As College Football Playoff expansion looms, Chris explains his nostalgic connection to the sport  ("A twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone") and reminisces on The Way Things Were.