The CW Pod

Scott Siepker joins Chris Williams to discuss how his World Cup videos reached soccer fans around the globe, and what the experience revealed about social media algorithms, viral content and human connection.

Chris and Scott also explore the cultural impact of the World Cup, lessons content creators can take from Scott’s success and some thought-provoking conversations Chris recently had with friends in rural Iowa.

Presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon.

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Chris Williams sits down with Iowa Events Center General Manager Chris Connolly for an in-depth conversation about the future of Casey's Center, hosting NCAA Tournament games, bringing major concerts to Des Moines, Iowa basketball's return to downtown, and the continued growth of Iowa's premier entertainment venue.

🏀 NCAA Tournament & Casey's Center

Chris Connolly discusses:

• Missing out on the NCAA First Four bid

• Why Des Moines continues to land NCAA Tournament games

• What the selection process looks like

• The impact of hotels, venue upgrades and community support

🎤 Concert Business

The conversation also covers:

• Ella Langley's rapid rise and sold-out show

• Garth Brooks changing Des Moines' reputation

• Landing artists like Lil Wayne, Journey, and UFC

• Iowa State's growing concert partnership at Jack Trice Stadium and Stephens Auditorium

🏀 Iowa Basketball

• Iowa vs. Creighton and Alabama at Casey's Center

• The future of neutral-site college basketball

• Whether Iowa State could eventually return to downtown for marquee games

Plus

• Casey's Center's future management

• Polk County's consultant review

• Selling alcohol at Iowa State athletic events

• Behind-the-scenes stories from major sporting events and concerts

CW Pod presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon. Only on Iowa Everywhere.

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Chris Williams, Chris Hassel, and Jake Brend react to Jamie Pollard announcing his retirement from Iowa State in June 2027.

The CW Pod is presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon and the Lonely Oak Distillery.

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Chris Williams is in Frisco, Texas, for a reaction from Day 1 of Big 12 Football Media Days. He breaks down Brett Yormark's press conference, explains why the commissioner missed an opportunity to address the Brendan Sorsby situation, reacts to the conference's new Monster Energy partnership, and shares why Texas Tech needs to be careful not to become the next "Texas" of the Big 12. Plus, thoughts on playoff expansion, Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham, and the perception battle facing the conference.

🏈 Day 1 at Big 12 Media Days

Chris shares his biggest takeaways from Frisco:

• Brett Yormark's opening press conference

• Why the Sorsby questions weren't answered

• The commissioner's biggest challenge

⚡ Monster Energy Joins the Big 12

The conference lands a major new sponsorship.

• Why it's a perfect brand fit

• What it means for Big 12 revenue

• Why perception matters in college athletics

🌵 A Warning for Texas Tech

Chris explains why Texas Tech needs to avoid becoming the next "Texas."

• The fallout from the Brendan Sorsby saga

• Why perception around the program is changing

• How the Red Raiders should approach success

🏆 The Big 12's Biggest Challenge

Can the conference change how it's viewed nationally?

• The importance of winning College Football Playoff games

• What success should look like moving forward

CW Pod presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon. Only on Iowa Everywhere.

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Chris Williams welcomes fireworks expert Tony Wenck to discuss Iowa's growing fireworks culture, Fourth of July traditions, and how to safely build the perfect backyard fireworks show. Then, Chris is joined by his daughters for a Father's Day conversation about experiencing the Rocky movies for the first time and why Rocky IV still resonates decades later.

🎆 Tony Winks Has Your Boom Boom

Chris sits down with Tony Winks to talk:

• Iowa's fireworks boom since legalization

• Building backyard fireworks shows

• Fireworks safety tips for families

• The biggest trends heading into the 250th anniversary celebration

• How Tony's family tradition became one of Iowa's premier fireworks businesses

• The story behind the famous "I've Got Your Boom Boom" slogan

🥊 Rocky Through a New Generation's Eyes

Chris' daughters join the show after watching Rocky I-IV for the first time.

• Ranking the Rocky movies

• Apollo Creed's shocking death in Rocky IV

• Why Rocky IV remains a cultural phenomenon

• Why the training montages still work today

• Rocky IV as a Cold War movie

CW Pod is presented weekly by Steeple Ridge Bourbon. Only on Iowa Everywhere.

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Chris Williams welcomes Mackenzie Eddie back to the CW Pod for a wide-ranging conversation covering dance recitals, youth sports parents, marriage debates over clutter, and the UFC's controversial event at the White House.

The two compare notes on life as sports and dance parents, discuss why travel sports can bring out the worst in adults, and revisit an ongoing argument that has been raging through text messages for weeks: should a house look lived in, or should it look like nobody lives there?

💃 Dance Dad vs. Dance Mom

Chris shares observations from another dance recital weekend:

• Why dance costumes cost so much

• The mystery of dance recital cheering

• Whether he's ready for competition dance life

🏠 The Great Clutter Debate

A debate every married couple has:

• Should coats go on hooks?

• Why do decorative baskets exist?

• Can a house ever be "clean enough"?

• Why clutter stresses some people out

⚾ Youth Sports Parents Are Wild

The pair swap stories from travel baseball and youth sports.

🥊 UFC at the White House

Chris and Mackenzie discuss:

• UFC's historic event on White House grounds

• The challenge of separating sports from politics

CW Pod presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon. Only on Iowa Everywhere.

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Chris Williams takes a deep dive into the WNBA, Caitlin Clark, media narratives, and why he believes the league's biggest challenge has nothing to do with basketball. Along the way, he shares a personal coaching story from Bondurant Little League and reflects on one of the most fascinating business stories in sports.

🥎 Little League Lessons

Chris opens the show with a story about coaching his daughter's softball team, the joy of youth sports, and why watching kids improve through hard work remains one of life's most rewarding experiences.

🏀 The WNBA's Real Problem

The basketball is fantastic. The stars are better than ever. The league has more attention than at any point in its history. So why does it feel like the conversation is never about the games?

Chris argues that the WNBA has developed a messaging problem, where off-court drama and social media battles have become bigger stories than the product itself.

🌪️ The Royce White Comparison

Drawing from his years covering Iowa State basketball, Chris compares the current WNBA landscape to Royce White's unique career arc — and explains how important it is for the sport itself to remain the main attraction.

⭐ Caitlin Clark's Impossible Position

Chris discusses how Clark has become a symbol for countless debates she never asked to be part of, why that creates challenges for both her and the league, and how the focus has drifted away from what made her a superstar in the first place: basketball.

🎙️ Also Included:

• Media controversies around the Indiana Fever

• Why authenticity matters in sports

• The role of social media in modern sports

• A broader look at sports, culture, and public perception

CW Pod presented by Steeple Ridge. Only on Iowa Everywhere.

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Chris Williams welcomes attorney Nate Boulton for a deep dive into the future of college athletics as Congress prepares to debate major NCAA legislation on Capitol Hill. From NIL and collective bargaining to transfer portal chaos and Olympic sports funding, the guys unpack why college sports may be approaching a total reset.

🏛️ Congress enters the college sports fight

Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell introduce bipartisan legislation aimed at reshaping college athletics. Chris and Nate discuss why the NCAA may have finally lost the “student-athlete” argument for good.

💰 Is collective bargaining inevitable?

Nate explains why college football and basketball now resemble professional sports development leagues — and why a true collective bargaining agreement may be the only realistic solution moving forward.

🏈 The transfer portal problem

Fans don’t seem to mind athletes making money… but they do hate roster instability. The guys debate contracts, transfer limits, player movement, and whether college sports are losing their identity.

⚖️ Could Congress accidentally make things worse?

The conversation dives into antitrust exemptions, employee status, NIL regulation, and why trying to legislate college sports could create even more loopholes and unintended consequences.

🥎 What happens to Olympic sports?

As football and basketball budgets explode, non-revenue sports face growing pressure. Nate explains why programs like gymnastics, wrestling, soccer, and rowing may be caught in the middle.

🔥 Also included:

• Why the NCAA mishandled the NIL era

• SEC and Big Ten power consolidation

• Why fans are exhausted by constant fundraising

• Coaches vs. players power imbalance

CW Pod presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon. Only on Iowa Everywhere.

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Chris Williams welcomes Scott Dochterman to break down the Big Ten's reaction to Jamie Pollard’s viral comments, the future of the College Football Playoff, and why the bowl system needs to be changed.

🔥 How the Big Ten reacted to Jamie Pollard

Dochterman was at the Big Ten meetings when Pollard’s comments exploded nationally. The guys discuss how Big Ten officials interpreted the comments and whether the frustration from schools like Iowa State is finally boiling over.

🏈 Could a 24-team playoff actually SAVE college football?

Chris enters skeptical — and leaves partially convinced. The guys debate whether expansion would create more meaningful late-season games, save fan interest, and keep programs like Iowa State nationally relevant.

🎟️ Why bowl games don’t work anymore

Opt-outs, coaching turnover, fan apathy, and meaningless matchups have changed everything. Chris and Scott discuss why playoff expansion may actually be the only realistic path forward.

🌪️ The future of Iowa State & the Big 12

Would a larger playoff finally level the playing field for leagues outside the SEC and Big Ten? Plus: why Iowa State hosting a playoff game at Jack Trice could instantly become the biggest event in school history.

🎙️ Also included:

• SEC vs. Big Ten politics

• TV network battles over playoff rights

• Why rivalry games still matter

• The growing separation between college football’s “tiers”

CW Pod presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon. Only on Iowa Everywhere.

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Chris Williams delivers a solo deep dive into the future of college sports, media, streaming, and why the current system may be headed for a complete shakeup.

🔥 Jamie Pollard fires back

Williams reacts to Jamie Pollard openly challenging the SEC and Big Ten, arguing that maybe the Big 12 and ACC should stop waiting around and let the power conferences break away completely.

📺 Is cable TV dying in real time?

A simple YouTube TV subscription review sends Chris down a rabbit hole about streaming, ESPN’s future, Netflix owning NFL games, and why sports media is entering another massive evolution.

🎙️ The death of middle-class sports media?

From Pat McAfee and Barstool to local radio and newspapers disappearing, Chris explains why the future may belong to hyper-local creators and niche communities.

🌪️ Also included:

• Ted Turner vs. traditional media

• Why ESPN still matters

• Iowa State’s place in a possible college football split

CW Pod presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon. Only on Iowa Everywhere.

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