The Word Podcast: Sports, News, & Stuff

Buckle your seatbelts for this one - James is on one in a wide ranging soapbox from boring press conferences to private equity, to sports performance injuries. Old man yells at cloud indeed!

We've been teasing it for a few weeks now and it's finally here, our draft of the Top 100 TV shows of all time, based on the NYT piece that hit a few weeks ago

After Week 3, it's time to discuss the NFL’s most disappointing teams in Week 3 (looking at you, Texans and Eagles) and celebrate the Cowboys' late-game meltdown.

Congress and Ted Cruz are going to save colllege sports from itself! We talk about pending NIL changes, a frequent topic on TWP.

For the first time in a while, we go full cinematic snob on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey—because nothing says relaxation like Matthew Damon fighting for his life in IMAX. Tune in!

Join us as we break down the latest NFL week matchups, surprising team ascents and struggles, and update you on our fantasy pick 'em standings—because eating fish camp is still very much on the line!
As college football heats up, we take a look at NC State's struggles and the intense pressure surrounding program expectations.
Who do you have in the upcoming New York Times top 100 TV shows draft?

Join us as we take a look at the NFK Week 2 headlines and of course update you on our Pick 'Em and Playoff Fantasy league standing - Skyline Chili or Fish Camp is on the line!

As UNC Alumni, it's only proper that we break down what on Earth is going on at UNC Football as DC Steve Belichick has resigned after an internal university investigation.

Who do you have in the Moe's vs. Qdoba discussion?

Stick around at the end of the episode for "Old Man Yells At Cloud", as we discuss why no one knows how to operate in an airport anymore!

It's finally here! Take a listen as we reveal our Divisional picks and Wild Card picks for the 2026-27 NFL Season.

Loser has to eat at a restaurant they otherwise wouldn't be caught dead in. Tune in to find out the deets!

We're back with a special two part episode as we kick off the NBA and College Football seasons, plus a recap of the punishment the NBA dished out to the Clippers.

Join us in the second episode for a recap of our NFL picks!

After a bit of a hiatus, we're back with a recap of the World Cup and a repudiation of the US Men's National Team performance and what the future holds.

As James called it, the Knicks won the title! We analyze the series and the steps it took to get there.

It wouldn't be an episode of "The Word" without an analysis of America's team, the Hornets, and their decision to deal away Lonzo Ball to rebuild the franchise.

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We dove into the current NBA playoff landscape, where Rich Abernethy pointed out that while the Western Conference Finals have been competitive, the overall quality has been subpar due to several early sweeps. The success of the New York Knicks led to a debate on fan frustration and the intense atmosphere at Madison Square Garden. Rich even expressed a preference for seeing the Knicks succeed over the Oklahoma City Thunder. James argued that the presence of celebrities like Timothy Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, and Pete Davidson provides a necessary "cultural distraction" for the public. The conversation on public spectacle continued with news that Donald Trump plans to attend a Knicks finals game, prompting concern from both hosts about resulting security measures that will significantly delay fan entry.
Shifting gears to the intersection of politics and sports, we analyzed the confusing spectacle of a UFC fight at the White House. Rich framed the event as a marketing ploy, drawing comparisons to basketball games hosted on battleships, which led to a broader discussion on political influence in sports and how critics often ignore it when they agree with the political stance (like NFL military tie-ins). We confirmed the podcast's editorial direction will continue to incorporate discussions on serious and political topics, but these will not be the primary focus of the broadcast.
Finally, we addressed logistics both great and small, from World Cup hosting requirements in Atlanta (covering stadium logos for FIFA compliance) to personal updates. James provided updates on studio equipment upgrades, including cable management and a new soundboard, and vented about persistent spotty internet issues. We also looked at the feasibility of biking to the local golf course and traded stories about dangerous golf cart incidents and witnessing public altercations on the course, comparing confrontations to the Jerry Springer Show...

We're fresh off a phenomenal Masters that put our picks to the test! We checked in on our previous Masters predictions and found we were successful in predicting our "disappointments," which led to an "incredible reverse jinx". Rory McIlroy, Rich's disappointment pick, won back-to-back, and James Mundia's pick, Scottie Scheffler, also performed well. The guys are now demanding $25,000 each from McIlroy and Scheffler for motivating them.
The main event was a deeper dive into the Masters' outcome, specifically Rory McIlroy's victory, which James observed was due to a change in his demeanor and mentality, making him seem more focused on "completing the job". This result suggests a more even playing field heading into the PGA tournament and the rest of the majors. We also covered headlines suggesting that LIV Golf may be closing shop, noting Brooks Koepka is currently the only player who has formally gone through the "paying your penance" process to return to the PGA. We also reminded Marcus, our intern of 20 years, to create a spec script for a sporting episode of the podcast.
Shifting gears, we dove headlong into the unexpectedly dramatic NBA play-in games. Rich discussed the intensity of the Charlotte Hornets' game against the Miami Heat, referring to the Hornets as "America's team," a fan club James has now officially joined. Both of us stressed the critical importance of this playoff experience for the Hornets' growth, noting that unlike other sports, NBA success often requires this progressive exposure to the postseason environment. We also solidified the plan to complete the NBA playoff bracket tomorrow night before the first round starts on Saturday