Tradition's Finest Podcast

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 61 - “It's Halloween, Boi! Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- MLB: A Review of Games 1 thru 4 of the World Series between the New York Yankees & Los Angeles Dodgers. . .

- "Welcome Back, NBA!". . . while you were sorely missed, the NBA regular season is way too long & exhausting. . . Should the NBA reduce the number of games played per season? If so, could a shorter NBA season positively influence or even eliminate the "load management" issues, such as those currently revolving around Philadelphia 76er's All-Star Center Joel Embiid? - Tweet us your Thoughts on Twitter/X at @TraditionFinest!

- A Review/Discussion of the games from NBA Opening Night. . . Was the "new look" NY Knicks able to spoil the "unveiling of Banner #18" for Jayson Tatum & the Boston Celtics? Following the Knicks' acquisition of Karl Anthony-Towns (KAT), are the Knicks a legitimate threat to this defending champion Celtics team out of the Eastern Conference? Why or why not?

- LeBron & Bronny James make history by being the first-ever Father-Son combo to play a professional sport alongside one another - as Bron & Bronny checked in the game for the LA Lakers versus their opening night matchup versus All-Star SF Anthony Edwards & the Minnesota Timberwolves. . . Why do you think there was such a great deal of negativity per social media regarding this historical moment in Sports?. . . 'Bron finished with 16 PTS while C Anthony Davis put on a very dominant performance with 36 PTs & 16 rebounds. . . but how long can Davis remain 'healthy' this NBA season?

- NCAA CFB News & Storylines: Former Coastal Carolina & current NC State QB Grayson McCall recently announced his "Retirement" from football via social media - following a consultation with a brain specialist who suggested that it 'might be best for his health long-term if he hangs the cleats up;' Shortly afterwards, on Tuesday evening - University of Michigan QB Jack Tuttle also announced his "Retirement" from the sport via social media citing "a fifth concussion" and his interest in "prioritizing his health." What are your thoughts on McCall & Tuttle's announcement(s) to retire from the sport? Do you believe that the NCAA's ruling which allowed collegiate athletes to be paid - based on his or her NIL - has significantly increased the probability that a collegiate athlete might "retire" from a physical sport, such as CFB, following the diagnosis of one or two concussions? JD & Spencer also acknowledge some players' estimated NIL Valuation(s), primarily that of five-star Freshman Basketball player, Cooper Flagg, who has yet to play in an NCAA MBB regular season game, but just signed an NIL deal with Gatorade for $2.6M dollars. . .

- NCAA CFB Week 9 Review & Recap: Last Wednesday night, 0-5 or the "winless" Kennesaw State Owls shocked the CFB world!. . . as 28-point Underdogs!. . . after the Owls pulled off a 27 to 24 upset over the undefeated (5-0) Liberty Flames. . .

- Former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord, who transferred to the University of Syracuse in the offseason to play under First-year HC Fran Brown, has played very well this season. . . his performance was even acknowledged by McCord's former HC at Ohio State Ryan Day at an Ohio State postgame press conference. . . and then he dished out an abysmal performance last Thursday evening versus the undefeated & No. 19-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers. . . McCord threw 3 TD passes in the first half (each of which were thrown to the wrong/opposing team) that led to three pick-six TD's for Pitt. . . McCord would finish the game throwing for 320+ yards & 5 INT's. . . while No. 19-ranked Pitt was able to secure a 41 to 13 victory over Syracuse to remain undefeated (7-0) this regular season.

- A Breakdown of No. 4-ranked Ohio State's 21-17 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. . . the Buckeyes were inconsistent & played a very sloppy game. . . were the Buckeyes caught "looking ahead" to their Week 10 showdown with Big Ten rival Penn State? QB Will Howard threw for 3 TD's. . . Freshman phenom WR Jeremiah Smith caught his 8th Receiving TD of the season (is now tied with HOF WR Cris Carter for the school record of most TD's scored as a Freshman). . . Cornhusker HC Matt Rhule's defensive game plan was "Genius;"

- QB Quinn Ewers threw for 3 TD's as No. 5-ranked Texas was able to hold off No. 25-ranked Vanderbilt on the road 27 to 24 after Vandy's failed onside kick attempt. . . HC Steve Sarkisian called this a "culture" win - Is this a "dig" at Alabama or nah? Loss snapped the Commodores' three-game winning streak, and has since booted them from the AP Poll Top 25 - Such a damn shame. . . Does Vanderbilt have a "valid" argument to remain in the Top 25? Why or why not?

- No. 12-ranked Notre Dame straight up does NOT respect the United States military. . . knocked off error-prone No. 24-ranked Navy 51-14. . . the Midshipmen turned the ball over six times. . . QB Riley Leonard completed 13/21 for 178 yards & 2 TD's while RB Jeremiyah Love finished the game with 12 carries for 102 yards & 2 TD's; Maybe the stage was too big for the Midshipmen, or at least that's what Navy HC Brian Newberry suggested in his postgame interview. . . Midshipmen QB Blake Horvath had a disastrous day throwing the ball, but had 14 carries for 129 yards & 1 TD. . .

- No. 15-ranked Alabama picked off 3 passes & RB Jam Miller rushed for 2 TD's as the Crimson Tide pitched the shut-out on the road 34-0 versus No. 21-ranked Missouri; HC Kalen DeBoer & the Tide have to approach the remaining games on their schedule with a "do or die" philosophy. . . Tigers QB Brady Cook injured his right (throwing) hand & was knocked out of the game. . . The reliever? A 5-foot 10-inch Drew Pyne who could not see over the OL. . . Pyne threw 3 INT's & finished the game 6-of-12 for 42 yards. . . Mizzou's playoff hopes went up in flames, while Alabama lives, lives to fight another day. . .

- RB Jarquez Hunter rushed the ball 23 times for a career-high 278 yards as Auburn rallied from a 10-point deficit to defeat Kentucky in Lexington 24 to 10. . . first SEC Conference victory of the season for the Auburn Tigers. . . Second week in a row Kentucky has collapsed after holding a lead. . . Kentucky's bowl eligibility seems very unlikely at this point?

- Backup Aggies QB Marcel Reed came off the bench in the 3rd QTR against No. 8-ranked LSU looking to jumpstart the stagnant offense & scored . . . QB change was made by Aggies HC Mike Elko - the guy has some balls. . . No. 14-ranked Texas A&M rallied from 10 points down & scored on four straight possessions in the 2nd half to upset LSU 38 to 23 at Kyle Field. . . LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier threw for over 400 yards but had 3 costly INT's - for this LSU team, it's "Beat Bama or Go Home!". . . A&M wins their seventh-straight game, and now sits firmly atop the SEC Conference standings.

- The Battle of the Two First-Year HC's or "A Rivalry Renewed:" The outcome of the Michigan-Michigan State game was pretty much irrelevant following the events that took place afterwards; Michigan held off the Spartans 24 to 17. . .as the final seconds ticked off the clock, players began throwing punches & a skirmish broke out that eventually led to players exiting both sidelines to "join in on the fun;" The fight was triggered after Wolverines All-American TE Colston Loveland & Michigan State DE Anthony Jones pushed, shoved, and butted helmets after QB Davis Warren took a knee to let the remaining seconds on the clock run out. . . Based on the Wolverines' remaining schedule that includes matchups versus No.1-ranked Oregon & No. 4-ranked Ohio State, what will Michigan's record be at the end of the 2024 CFB season?

- NCAA CFB Week 10 Preview & Game Predictions:

#18 Pittsburgh at #20 SMU (-7.5) O/U59.5

Vanderbilt at Auburn (-6.5) O/U48.5

#4 Ohio State (-4.5) at #3 Penn State O/U47.5

#1 Oregon (-14.5) at Michigan O/U44.5

#19 Ole Miss (-6.5) at Arkansas O/U53.5

#2 Georgia (-16.5) vs. Florida O/U52.5

#10 Texas A&M (-2.5) at South Carolina O/U44.5

-NFL: Last Wednesday, the Kansas City Chiefs finalized a trade/deal for Titans WR Deandre Hopkins for a conditional 4th-round draft pick. . . the following Monday, they bolster their pass rush by trading for New England's Joshua Uche. . . "the Rich Continue to Get Richer?"

- A Discussion of the "Facemask Heard Round the World" penalty & it's costly effects from the Thursday Night LA Rams versus Minnesota Vikings game. . .

- Breakdown of the Panthers/Broncos game

- Colts QB Anthony Richardson removes himself from a game versus the Houston Texans because he was "tired". . . Thoughts? Colts franchise announced on Tuesday that QB Joe Flacco will now be the team's starter. . . Do you agree with the benching of Richardson? Texans hold on to defeat AFC South rival 23-20 but at a cost - WR Stefon Diggs is done for the season after suffering a torn ACL. . .

- The Arizona Cardinals & QB Kyler Murray spoil Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa's return, after clearing the NFL's concussion protocol. . . Arizona wins game 28 to 27 after rallying from 14 points down in the 4th QTR. . . FG Kicker Chad Ryland nails GW FG for the second straight week. . . Cardinals finish game with a pair of 100-yard WR's for the first time since October of 2021. . . Dolphins are now 2-5 this NFL season - Are the Dolphins in the red area or "danger zone" of missing the NFL Playoffs this season?

- Ravens QB Lamar Jackson slammed his helmet on the field after the Cleveland Browns' defense stopped them on the final play of the game. . . Browns stun the Ravens 29 to 24. . . Browns starting QB Jameis Winston quotes Eminem in postgame interview? Cleveland DE Myles Garrett wins the "Costume of the Year" Award after spending $800k on "The Terminator" mask constructed by a former Hollywood stage & design team. . .

QB Jayden Daniels Hail Mary TD to WR Noah Brown to give the Washington Commanders a stunning comeback victory over QB Caleb Williams & the Chicago Bears 18 to 15. . . Bears DB Tyrique Stevenson will forever be immortalized for his bone-headed decision to "taunt" the Commanders fans right before the Hail Mary play was completed. . .

- NFL teams were 750-0 when scoring 20+ points, not turning the ball over & holding the opponent to under 250 total yards. . . until the New York Jets lost to the New England Patriots on Sunday 25 to 22. . . What do you have to say for yourself, A-A-ron Rodgers?

- The Baltimore Ravens completed a trade on Tuesday for Panthers WR Diontae Johnson & a 6th round draft pick in exchange for a 5th-round draft pick. . . Trade Grade for both teams?. . . Why is the Panthers' organization so stupid?

Thanks for Listening, Guys!!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 60 - “The Chuck Bednarik Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA Men's College Basketball: University of Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett - who won a National Championship with the program in 2019 - recently announced his retirement after 15 seasons. . . but what are your thoughts regarding the reason for his departure? Bennett retires as the winningest HC in program history with a record of 364-136. . .

- NBA: LA Clippers SF Kawhi Leonard is expected to be sidelined for an "indefinite period of time," as he continues to rehab from the inflammation in his right knee, as reported by ESPN NBA Senior Insider Shams Charania. . . are you the least bit surprised regarding this most recent update of Kawhi's status to start the 2024 NBA season? JD & Spencer discuss the topic of "load management" as it pertains to teams/players across the NBA & how it has a discernible influence on fans that attend NBA games. . .

- WNBA: The New York Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx 67-62 last Sunday evening in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals to win their first WNBA Championship in the history of the franchise. . .

- MLB Playoffs Update: Juan Soto's three-run homer in extra innings of the ALCS Game 5 lifted the New York Yankees to a 3-2 series win over the Cleveland Guardians. . . the Yankees have advanced to the 2024 World Series for 41st time in franchise history; The LA Dodgers finished off the New York Mets in Game 6 of the NLCS with a 10-5 victory, and are now headed for a World Series showdown with the NY Yankees. . . JD's World Series prediction has been relatively clutch thus far. . .who ya got in the World Series - Yankees or Dodgers?

- NCAA CFB News: Appearing on the "Outta Pocket" podcast with RGIII, University of Colorado two-way player (WR/CB) Travis Hunter fired off his thoughts regarding his candidacy this season for the Heisman trophy as well his thoughts on fellow Heisman frontrunner, Boise St. RB Ashton Jeanty. . . an analysis Jeanty's stats thru the first eight weeks of the CFB season - as well as a comparison b/t his stats & former CFB RB's who went on to win the Heisman trophy & to have HOF career(s) at the professional level (i.e., OK State's Barry Sanders & USC's Reggie Bush). . . Ashton Jeanty's response?. . . If the season ended tomorrow, who do you believe would be the clear favorite to win the Heisman trophy between CU's Travis Hunter & Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty?

- Oklahoma Sooners HC Brent Venables has announced that Soph. QB Jackson Arnold has been given the nod to start Week 9 as the Sooners take on the No. 18-ranked Ole Miss Rebels. . . had first action since Sept. 21st last week/Week 8 in lopsided 35-9 loss to South Carolina - Arnold finished the game with a 50% completion percentage for 225 yards & a TD in the blowout loss. . . Can QB Jackson Arnold reinvigorate the struggling OU offense?. . . The Sooners have a 4-3 (1-3 in SEC Conference play) record this season. . .

- Following a wild weekend slate of CFB games in Week 8, the New AP Top 25 Poll was released late Sunday evening. . . After suffering a 2nd tough loss in a thriller, where does the Alabama Crimson Tide land in the most recent AP Poll?. . . Will the Vanderbilt Commodores be allowed to 'enter the chat?'. . . Following the loss to Georgia, where will Texas land?. . . What was your initial reaction to the most recent release of the AP Poll Top 25? Any surprises?. . . Hot takes?. . .

- NCAA CFB Week 8 Review & Recap: The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Florida State Seminoles last Friday night 23-16. . . the Blue Devils' first victory over FSU after 22 straight losses. . . prior to this game, another lost soul posted a video clip via Twitter/X consuming what viewers were led to believe was dog . . . Unfortunately, this guy is a bigger loser than his University's football team - and it was determined that it was NOT real poop. . . you think FSU was cursed before? . . Just wait!

- The Illinois Fighting Illini are now 6-1 on the season after defeating the Michigan Wolverines 21-7. . . Thoughts on the 1924 throwback uniforms? & what were the significance of these particular uniforms? . . . the Illini's first W over the Wolverines since 2009 & 3rd win over a ranked opponent this season. . . Michigan under new HC Sherrone Moore is now 4-3 just one year removed from winning a Natty. . .The Wolverines have a serious issue at the QB position - they have had three different QB's start games this season (and the production is abysmal!). . . Moore has yet to name the starting QB ahead of next week's rivalry game versus the Michigan State Spartans. . . where does the program go from here?

- Versus the Auburn Tigers, No. 19-ranked Missouri Tigers QB Brady Cook makes a midgame trip to the local Hospital for an MRI on his ankle?. . . Auburn once again carried a sizable lead into the 4th QTR. . .QB Brady Cook returned to the game & field to throw two TD's & lead Mizzou to a comeback victory over Auburn at home 21-17. . . HC Hugh Freeze & the Auburn Tigers are now 0-4 in SEC Conference play this season. . . What is the mindset of Auburn players right now, after holding leads in consecutive Conference games (i.e., 21-7 lead over OU & 17-6 lead over Mizzou) just to allow a clear shift in momentum that ultimately leads to another bitter defeat? Is HC Hugh Freeze 'treading in hot water?. . .'

- Cigars were lit & goalposts were NOT safe as thousands of Tennessee fans celebrated the No. 11-ranked Volunteers' 24-17 victory over the No. 7-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide at Home. . . this was UT's second victory over the Tide in the past three seasons. . . Huge performance from Vols' RB Dylan Sampson who had 26 carries for 139 yards & 2 TD's. . . Both offenses struggled in the first half, Alabama led at the halftime break 7-0. . . Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe possibly played the worst game of his career, but did finish with a 55% completion percentage for 239 yards with 1 TD & 2 INT's. . .JD & Spencer Evaluate, Breakdown & Critique the Performance of the Crimson Tide & UT Volunteers in this SEC Conference ranked matchup. . .

Q: Will 2024 go down as one of the worst years for SEC Officiating?

- No. 16-ranked Indiana Hoosiers remain undefeated after their rout of the Nebraska Cornhuskers 56-7. . . IU is now 7-0 and out to their best start in over 57 years. . . unfortunately, the W did come at the expense of a costly injury for the Hoosiers?. . . Cornhuskers QB Dylan Raiola completed 28/44 passes for 234 yards with 3 INT's but the offense sputtered on three red-zone drives. . . Can Nebraska get through this bumpy road they have traveled the past few weeks?

- A very determined & solid Offensive line gave Heisman candidate & the No.6-ranked Miami Hurricanes QB Cam Ward plenty of time in the pocket Saturday versus the Louisville Cardinals. . . Ward threw for over 300-yards & 4 TD's in a shootout game/Miami was able to hold off Louisville 52-45 after a failed onside kick attempt by the Cardinals. . . Ward's seventh consecutive 300-yard passing performance this season (school record) currently trailing former QB's Tyler Van Dyke & Brad Kaaya (11); Is Miami able to continue "flirting with disaster" the rest of the CFB season without dropping a game?. . . while Louisville has lost three of it's last four games - based on their remaining schedule, can the Cardinals salvage the remainder of this season & become bowl eligible?

- No. 5-ranked Georgia went on the road in the 'Game of the Week' to knock off/upset the No.1-ranked Texas Longhorns 30-15. . . Bulldogs RB Trevor Etienne rushed for 3 TD's. . . Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers lost two fumbles and was benched for backup QB Arch Manning. . . Georgia led 23-0 at the halftime break. . . SEC Officiating crew throws a "PI" flag on the Longhorns, then realizes that the Texas fans do not agree with the call on the field, and picks up the flag - are you kidding me?!. . . Texas fans throw trash & empty water bottles onto the field. . . do you agree with the SEC Conference decision to fine the University of Texas $250k for the actions of their fans/students?. . . following the massive road win, Bulldogs HC Kirby Smart pointed out the team's critics (including ESPN's "College Gameday" crew who unanimously predicted a Longhorns victory).

- Question of the Week: How in the absolute hell did Alabama defeat this Georgia team earlier in the season? Alternate reality/A Glitch in the Matrix?

- Battle of the Gold Boot: No. 8-ranked LSU Tigers pulled off a huge road W over the Arkansas Razorbacks 34-10 behind impressive performances from RB Caden Durham - rushing for a total of 101 yards & 3 TD's. . . QB Garrett Nussmeier - threw for 233 yards. . .WR CJ Daniels - 7 receptions for 86 yards. . .& the SEC's leading tackler Whit Weeks who finished the game with nine tackles, a sack & an interception. . . the Tiger's defense has consistently played very well this season despite the injuries to All-American Harold Perkins Jr - only allowed a total of 277 yards from the Razorbacks offense.. . . while the offense were uncharacteristically penalized in this game eleven times (eight in the 1st half & 7 were "false start" penalties). . . this was LSU's sixth-straight victory but will face a very hostile environment next week (Week 9) as they travel to Kyle Field to taken on the No. 14-ranked Texas A&M Aggies (have also won six-straight games after dropping the season opener). . .

- QB Rocco Becht saved the No. 9-ranked Iowa State Cyclones' perfect season (7-0) with a late TD drive in their comeback win over the UCF Knights 38-35. . .Cyclones have matched the 1938 ISU team for the best start in program history. . . this is UCF's 4th straight loss even after leading by two TD's early in the 3rd QTR & a combined total of 354 rushing yards (RB RJ Harvey + QB Jacurri Brown). . . ISU came into this game with the best defense in the Big 12 Conference statistically but has struggled as of late stopping the run. . . based on the Cyclone's remaining schedule, what percentage chance do you give them to "win out" or to finish the regular season undefeated?

- NCAA CFB Week 9 Preview & Game Predictions:

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 59 - “The Jack Ham, Bam & Thank You Mam Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA Men's College Basketball: The Boozer twins, Cameron & Cayden Boozer - the twin sons of former NBA player Carlos Boozer - have officially committed to play for the. . .*drum roll; JD & Spencer's initial reaction to the release of the NCAA Men's CBB AP Preseason Poll Top 25 that was released Monday afternoon. . . Most overrated/underrated?. . .KU ranked #1, 'Bama ranked #2. . .UCONN ranked #3. . . 1st regular season AP Poll is due out 11/11 (make a f***ing wish & eat your heart out!)

- NBA: Former San Antonio Spur SG Danny Green announces his retirement from the NBA after 15 seasons. . .one of four players in NBA history to. . ?

- MLB: (*as promised) - 2024 Playoffs Update - NLDS: The highest payroll team in the league, the LA Dodgers, "defy expectations" (irony, much?) & defeat the SD Padres 2-0 in Game 5, advancing to the NLCS; Francisco Lindor & the NY Mets upset the heavy favorites to win the World Series, Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in Game 4 to reach the NLCS for the 1st time since 2k15; NLCS Game 1: Dodgers take series lead 1-0 after blowing out the Mets 9-0. . . Game 2: Mets end the Dodgers' scoreless streak, head back to the Big Apple with the series tied 1-1 after 7-3 victory; ALDS: The Cleveland Guardians pull out a pivotal Game 5 win versus the Detroit Tigers 7-3 last Saturday evening to advance to the ALCS for the 1st time since 2k16; Yankees P Gerrit Cole tosses a playoff gem of a game in a 3-1 victory, shutting down & eliminating the Kansas City Royals from the playoffs; ALCS Game 1: Giancarlo Stanton leaves no doubt with 439-ft dinger as the Yankees take ALCS series lead 1-0 after 5-2 victory.

- NCAA CFB: News & Storylines: ESPN has hired former Heisman winner/CFB National Champion & NFL MVP Cam Newton to serve as a regular on the show "First Take" across from Stephen A. Smith. . . initial thoughts on the hire? Are you more intrigued to listen to Cam discuss sports from his perspective/viewpoint OR interested to evaluate his day-to-day wardrobe? (*dude is a fashionable character)

- A Developing Story: Former LSU defensive team captain Greg Brooks is suing LSU and its affiliated Medical Center/institution following the incompetence of the surgeon who performed a procedure on Brooks to remove a brain tumor. . . currently unable to walk & is "permanently disabled,"

- Q: Do you need finite proof that a CFB fanbase can make a viable difference or "make a splash" across a sport?. . . after multiple requests, the University of Ole Miss has stated that they "plan" to address suspicions of faking injuries by its CFB players. . .how can the University monitor or rectify this type of issue?

- The University of Utah announced early Monday morning that QB Cam Rising was out indefinitely for the remainder of the 2024 regular season. . . could he possibly qualify for an 8th CFB season??. . . but the better question to ask here is why would he return for an 8th season?

- Following the Week 7 slate of CFB games, the updated/new AP Poll Top 25 was released on Sunday. . . welcome to the top 25, Army & Navy! Was Vandy robbed? If so, why? JD & Spencer's reaction to the updated AP Poll. . .

- Oklahoma State HC Mike Gundy was forced to hold a press conference via Zoom after being hit in the noggin by a cow. . .

- NCAA CFB Week 7 Review & Recap: No. 7-ranked Alabama was pushed to the brink by the South Carolina Gamecocks, but barely survived 27-25 thus preventing a second straight SEC Conference upset loss. . . JD & Spencer give a full breakdown of the game. . . what's wrong with this Alabama football team? Should HC Kalen DeBoer & the coaching staff be blamed for the Tide's 'fall from grace?' How can this 4-2-5 Alabama defense clean up some of the mistakes witnessed over the past couple weeks?

- The 120th (1st edition as a part of the SEC Conference) edition of the 'Red River Rivalry' had a great atmosphere. . .but OU and true FR QB Michael Hawkins Jr. forgot about the "rivalry" part. . . the No.1-ranked Texas Longhorns dominated this game from start to finish 34-3. . . Longhorns LB Anthony Hill Jr. planted the Texas flag through a former QB Baker Mayfield OU jersey at midfield following the W. . . what were your thoughts on Hill planting the Texas flag through the OU/Baker Mayfield jersey?. . .following the Tampa Bay Bucs 51-27 win over the New Orleans Saints, Bucs QB Baker Mayfield provided a response at the postgame press conference regarding a reporter's inquiry of his thoughts. . . and his response was "Golden!"

- The No. 4-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions rallied back to prevent the upset by the USC Trojans 33-30 in OT at the LA Coliseum. . . Nittany Lion TE Tyler Warren ties FBS single-game record with 17 receptions for 224 yards & a TD. . .Trojans HC Lincoln Riley refers to loss as a "gut punch," Will Lincoln Riley remain the USC HC next season?

- The No. 5-ranked Georgia Bulldogs were 33.5-point favorites over a heavy underdog Mississippi State team. . .Miss St. QB Michael Van Buren Jr. second start of the season led the team to a 21-7 run to close out the game, but Georgia held on 41-31. . .JD & Spencer discuss the "video clip seen & discussed round-the-world," of Georgia HC Kirby Smart pushing Miss. St. QB Van Buren/Kirby's response & comments regarding the incident. . . despite it being a non-deliberate act, do you believe that HC Kirby Smart should have been suspended or disciplined in some capacity for his on-field behavior and/or inappropriate action towards Van Buren?

- The No. 8-ranked Tennessee Volunteers survived in OT versus a "hungry-for-a-win" Florida Gator team 23-17. . . following backup QB DJ Lagway's 27-yard strike to Chimere Dike, HC Billy Napier had the opportunity to go for the two-point conversion & a massive upset W. . . but the Lord had another plan for him (aka the "hot seat" or "electric chair") If you were in his position with absolutely 'nothing to lose' would you have went for the win?; Florida's starting QB Graham Mertz posted a tribute to the University after suffering a season-ending & NCAA career-ending knee injury in the UT game. . . let's see what this 5-star+ kid DJ Lagway has in the tank. . .

- "Mo Money, Mo Problems. . . " Why putting together a $20-million dollar roster will not prevent you from losing a CFB game. . . the No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes lost to the No. 3-ranked Oregon Ducks in Eugene, OR 32-31 after Buckeyes QB Will Howard's bone-headed decision to rush upfield with 0.04 seconds left in the game down by 1 point. . . Ducks WR Traeshon Holden's ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct?. . .Ohio State HC Ryan Day is now 1-7 against teams ranked in the top 5/on the other hand, a huge W for Ducks HC Dan Lanning. . . Rematch for the Big Ten Conference Championship?

- LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier struggled all game versus the No. 9-ranked Ole Miss Rebels. . . but threw 2 TD's on two plays that helped to complete the stunning comeback in OT 29-26. . . after suffering their second SEC Conference loss, is Ole Miss out of CFB Playoff contention?

- NCAA CFB Week 8 Preview & Game Predictions: JD & Spencer present their game predictions for a select number of the Week 8 slate of games including:

No. 13 BYU (-8.5) vs. Oklahoma State

Auburn at No. 19 Missouri (-7)

Nebraska at No. 16 Indiana (-5)

No. 7 Alabama (-2.5) at No. 11 Tennessee

No. 24 Michigan (-1) at No. 22 Illinois

No. 8 LSU (-2.5) at Arkansas

No. 5 Georgia at No. 1 Texas (-3.5) . . . Share your picks with us on Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest!

- NFL: Saints Rookie QB Spencer Rattler was rattled early in the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 51-27. . . JD & Spencer breakdown the game. . .

- "Happy Birthday to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones!" Lions QB Jared Goff threw for 316 yards & 3 TD's & RB David Montgomery rushed for two scores as the Detroit Lions destroyed the Dallas Cowboys at home 47-9. . . 4th consecutive lopsided loss. . . is it time to "pull the plug" on QB Dak Prescott?. . . Lions Safety Brian Branch becomes 2nd Lions player in franchise history with two picks & a forced fumble in the same game. . . Evaluation & discussion of the video clip of Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson fracturing his Tibia. . . praying for ya, big guy!

- The Philadelphia Eagles defeats the Cleveland Browns at home in an ugly 20-16 victory. . . the return of WR1 A.J. Brown. . . Thoughts on HC Nick Sirianni's sideline antics towards the Eagles fans?

- Monday Night Football game featured the Robert Saleh-less NY Jets & the Buffalo Bills. . . but the Referee's wanted to play in this game as well. . . a combined total of 22 penalties for 204 yards. . . Bills outlast the Jets 23-20 at MetLife Stadium. . . QB Aaron Rodgers indirectly mentions South Park & is very critical of the officiating at the postgame press conference. . . Rodgers even disagreed with the two "Roughing the Passer" penalties committed on him. . . following this game, and merely hours apart, both AFC East rivals made blockbuster trades to acquire WR1'. . . will reuniting acquired WR Davante Adams from the Raiders with QB Aaron Rodgers resolve the Jets' early-season offensive woes?. . . Buffalo Bills acquire star WR Amari Cooper from the "black hole" of a team Cleveland Browns for a couple mid to-late round picks in the 2025 & 2026 NFL draft. . . can Cooper fill the void left by former Bills WR Stefon Diggs & can the Bills now possibly compete for a Super Bowl run this season?

Thanks for Listening!

- JD & Spencer

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 58 - “The Derrick Thomas Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- An "Antidote of Confidence?"

- NFL: "Momma Rice" a big Chappell Roan fan? OR just an Amazon package bandit?

- "You Like That!?!?" Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins put on a show on Thursday Night Football versus the Tampa Bay Bucs. . . but was it enough to defeat Baker Mayfield & the headstrong Bucs?

- Former NFL athlete(s) Chad OchoCinco & James Harrison have agreed to an MMA fight before the Super Bowl. . . does OchoCinco have a death wish?

- NFL London Week 5 Game between the New York Jets & the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. . . a defensive battle? did QB Aaron Rodgers deliberately throw three picks in this game? Are the Vikings a legit Super Bowl contender?

- Houston Texans vs. the Buffalo Bills. . . or the Stefon Diggs Revenge game? Texans pull out the W 23-20 thanks to the last-second 59-yard FG by Ka'imi Fairbairn. . . Bills QB Josh Allen gets the "side-eye of death" after taking the L. . . but Stefon Diggs & rapper Cardi B have an affair while she is eight months pregnant with Offset's baby?. . . is the world/Stefon Diggs mentally prepared for the diss tracks that are about to be released?

- Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels rout the Cleveland Browns 34-13 to win their 4th game in a row. . . Browns offense primarily QB Deshaun Watson is atrocious. . . & their defense, abysmal. . . Browns HC Kevin Stefanski's post-game comments are indicative of a guy who has lost control of the locker room?

- Baltimore Ravens FG Kicker Justin Tucker blasts the game-winning FG in Overtime versus the Cincinatti Bengals. . . QB's Lamar Jackson & Joe Burrow combine for a total of 9 TD's & over 700-yards passing. . . Bengals now 1-4 on the season. . . is Joey B & the Bengals on the verge of missing the playoffs? How does this impact contract negotiations between the Bengals & WR Ja'Marr Chase?

- Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott throws a TD to WR Jalen Tolbert with 0.20 seconds left to lift the Cowboys past the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17. . . Steelers QB Justin Fields continues to struggle with accuracy: 15/27 for 131 yards & two TD's. . . Is Steelers' HC Mike Tomlin's long-time record of consecutive seasons above .500 in serious danger this year?

- The Jacksonville Jaguars did the un-imaginable in Week 5?. . . *it rhymes with Twin. . .

- Monday Night Football game between QB Patrick Mahomes & the Kansas City Chiefs & the New Orleans Saints was very memorable for a few reasons. . . Saints QB Derek Carr goes down with an oblique injury/Chiefs recently-signed RB Kareem Hunt rushes for 100+ yards & a score/Chiefs WR & former Tik Tok sensation JuJu Smith-Schuster discovers the "fountain of youth" & goes for seven receptions for 130 yards/the brother of a Taylor Swift 'Eras Tour' backup dancer, a defensive lineman, has a 37-yard INT return . . Chiefs get the dub 26-13

- Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NY Jets & HC Robert Saleh have "parted ways" - as in Saleh was escorted out of the facility by Security & was unable to inform the team. . . subtle much?

- No. 3-overall draft pick & Rookie QB Drake Maye gets the nod & will make his NFL regular season debut this Sunday vs. the Texans. . . a 'New Era in New England?'

- NBA: History has been made. . . a Father-Son combo have officially played in a professional sport alongside one another. . . LeBron James & Bronny James make their Daddy-Son debut in an NBA preseason game. . . Bronny's stat line, however, did not make history?. . .

- MLB: We will discuss the MLB Playoffs next week. . . so be sure to Tune in!

- NCAA CFB Week 6 Review & Recap: A Wild/Weird (& Mostly Depressing if You're an 'Bama fan) Weekend of College Football. . . prior to the Mizzou-Texas A&M game at Kyle Field, Tigers WR Theo Wease received a special gift & note from Texas A&M CB William "The Blanket" Lee. . . one hell of a performance by returning QB Connor Weigman & RB Le'Veon Moss surges the Aggies past the No. 9-ranked Missouri Tigers 41-10. . . A&M is now 3-0 in SEC Conference play. . . are they headed for a CFB playoff berth?

- The Syracuse Orange rally in the 4th quarter to force OT, to upset the No. 25-ranked UNLV Rebels 44-41. . . QB Kyle McCord goes 40/63 for 355 yards with 3 TD's & 1 pick while RB LeQuint Allen accounts for a total of four TD's. . . Syracuse, a "sleeping" giant?

- No.3-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes sputtered in the first half of the game versus the Iowa Hawkeyes, led 7-0 at the halftime break. . . behind QB Will Howard's 84% completion percentage & WR Emeka Egbuka's three TD's and the Buckeye's superior defense. . . pull away in the second half for a 35-7 victory.

- The nation's #3-ranked offense & No. 23-ranked Indiana Hoosier's remain undefeated (6-0) after their offense put up a total of 500 yards on Northwestern. . . Hoosier win 41-24.

- "The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry" between No. 5-ranked Georgia & the struggling Auburn Tigers went the distance. . . but lacked that "spunk" & explosive plays. . . Georgia bounces back after tough loss to Alabama on the road last week to win their 8th in a row over the Tigers 31-13. . . Is Auburn HC Hugh Freeze headed towards the "hot seat" (or "electric chair" if you are an Auburn fan?)

- "Revenge of the Nerds:" The Vanderbilt Commodores complete the "upset of the decade" over No. 1-ranked Alabama 40-35. . . Vandy QB Diego Pavia & TE Eli Stowers played lights out in this thriller. . . Alabama's defense could not get off the field. . . 'Bama WR Ryan Williams continued to display flashes of greatness. . . Alabama team Captain Malachi Moore's late-game antics were not necessary (has since issued an apology). . . Vanderbilt fans storm the field & carry the goal-post down Broadway Street in downtown Nashville before throwing it in the Cumberland River & the University was forced to pay the Crimson Tide $100,000 for the fans' actions. . . where do the Commodores & Crimson Tide go from here?

- No. 8-ranked Miami rallied from 25 points down - led by QB Cam Ward - to defeat Cal 39-38. . .this game was the site of ESPN's "College Gameday,". . . how many more games can Miami flirt with disaster before they take an L?

- Rematch of last year's CFB Playoff National Championship. . . same logos/different coaching staffs & rosters. . . Washington pulls away in the 4th quarter to upset No. 10-ranked Michigan 27-17. . . Wolverines QB Alex Orji gets benched for backup QB Jack Tuttle who finished the game 10/18 for 98 yards with 1 TD & 1 INT. . . have we witnessed the last of Alex Orji in a Michigan uniform?

- The Arkansas Razorbacks overcame a 14-3 third-quarter deficit to notch their first home win over a top 5 opponents. . . upsetting Tennessee 19-14. . . upset pulled off by Razorbacks' backup QB Malachi Singleton?

- The Minnesota Golden Gophers pull off the upset over No. 11-ranked USC Trojans 24-17. . . Gophers' HC P.J. Fleck has some giant nuts, eh?

- Shoutout to #2 but should be #1 in the current Heisman poll. . . Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. . . we compare Jeanty's stats thru the first five games of the season to OK State & legendary RB Barry Sanders stats thru his first five games. . .

- Can "Chaos Theory" explain the events that occured across the CFB landscape this past weekend?. . . Reaction to the release of the updated AP Poll Top 25?. . .

- NCAA CFB Week 7 Preview & Game Predictions:

South Carolina at No. 7 Alabama (-21.5)

No. 1 Texas (-14) vs. No. 18 Oklahoma (Red River Rivalry)

No. 4 Penn State (-4) at USC

No. 22 Pittsburgh (-3.5) vs. Cal

Florida at No. 8 Tennessee (-15.5)

No. 9 Ole Miss (-2.5) at No. 13 LSU

No. 2 Ohio State (-2.5) at No. 3 Oregon

No. 11 Iowa State (-3) vs. West Virginia

No. 18 Kansas State (-5.5) vs. Colorado

Thanks for Listening!!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 57 - “The Johan Santana Episode” includes a discussion of the following

sports-related topics:

- Miscellaneous: Former WWF/WWE legend “Stone Cold” Steve Austin does not

believe in CTE . . ?

- NBA: Derrick Rose announces retirement from the NBA after 15 seasons?. . .

and we are all left with that ONE burning Q: “What If?”;

- “No,No,No” [insert finger-wag here] Former NBA Center Dikembe Mutumbo passed

away on Monday of brain cancer. . . 2024 sux!

-Reaction to Knicks-Wolves trade that landed KAT in the Big Apple?

- MLB: R.I.P. to the MLB All-Time Hits Leader, MR. Pete Rose. . . his

“lifetime” ban has been served, right? No more Excuses, Bud Selig. . .

you gotta induct this man into the HOF. . .; The MLB Playoffs Are Officially Upon

Us. . . JD & Spencer evaluate, break down & provide their individual predictions beginning

with the National & American League Wild Card Series thru the Divisional Rounds

(i.e., NLDS & ALDS) & the World Series! ESPN has consensus predicted that the Phillies

will win this year's World Series! (Share your Picks with Us on our Twitter/X page -

@TraditionFinest OR by email at [email protected]!)

- NFL: Shoutout to No.4. . . former Packers/Vikings QB Brett Favre has revealed

during a Congressional hearing that he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

- NFL Week 4 Review & Recap: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott's impressive stat versus the NY

Giants?; Broncos QB Bo Nix throws first career TD pass versus the NY Jets?; QB Sam

Darnold & the Minnesota Vikings are undefeated after close call with the Green Bay Packers?;

Washington Commanders Rookie QB Jayden Daniels stars again in rout of the Arizona Cardinals

42-14. . . are the Commanders (3-1) the most exciting/surprising team in the NFL so far?;

The Buffalo Bills forget how to tackle when there is a bulldozer in the backfield. . . the bulldozer,

aka, Ravens RB Derrick Henry. . . rushes for 199 yards. . . QB Lamar Jackson accounts for a total

of 3 TD's. . . Ravens blow out the Bills 35-10; Monday Night Football: Detroits Lions QB Jared

Goff NFL-record setting performance versus the Seattle Seahawks? Lions defeat the Seahawks

42-29/ Titans QB Will Levis threw an INT on the first play of the game vs. the Miami Dolphins. .

. but backup QB Mason Rudolph saves the day - Titans acquire first dub of the season 31-12. . .

what is the rest of the 2024 NFL season look like for Dolphins' fans?

- 49er's RB Christian McCaffery has Achilles tendinitis in both of his legs, as first reported by a

CBS affiliate. . . NFL fantasy football league owners are in 'a state of turmoil?'

- WR Davante Adams informs the Raiders that he "prefers" to be traded. . . possible trade

destinations? Saints & Jets are "high" on Adams' list. . .

- NCAA: UNLV QB Matthew Sluka announced via a social media post last Wednesday that he

is "transferring," to a different school at the end of the 2024 CFB season, and will redshirt. . .

the "ugly side" of NIL?/ UNLV RB Michael Allen announced shortly afterwards that he will

transfer at the end of the season as well. . .

- The decision-making of USC DL Bear Alexander has gotta be one of the 'biggest career

botches of all time' - will redshirt & transfer. . .

- Barstool Sports co-founder Dave Portnoy is offering up a significant amount of NIL to acquire

a skilled position player for the Michigan Wolverines?

- Twitter/X user - @SAINTBillSnyder, a man of his word? BYU & Kansas State annual game

should be presented with a title, such as the "Burrito Bowl" or "Live Mas Bowl," thoughts?

- Heisman front-runner & Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty's stat-line through the first four games

of the 2024 CFB season needs to be investigated. . .

- Oklahoma State HC Mike Gundy - "College Football needs a Commissioner. . ." names potential candidates?. . .

- NCAA Week 5 Review & Analysis: The University of Kentucky upsets No. 6-ranked Ole Miss. . . this is so "Ole Miss-esque" Wildcats QB Brock Vandergriff, a game manager?

- No. 23-ranked Kansas State dominates No. 20-ranked Oklahoma State 42-20. . . did K-State intentionally lose to BYU to test the might of a Twitter/X user/fan?

- No. 21-ranked Oklahoma overcomes 17-point deficit in the 4th quarter to stun the Auburn Tigers 27-21 on the road. . . what's wrong with the Tigers?. . .

- No. 16-ranked Notre Dame defeats No. 15-ranked Louisville 31-24. . . even after HUGE upset loss to NIU, is Notre Dame on a crash course to a CFB playoff berth?

- A full game breakdown of No.2 Georgia - No.4 Alabama game. . . "the best SEC game in the last 40 years," according to Paul Finebaum?. . . Alabama's 17-year old phenom WR Ryan Williams. . .

- NCAA Week 6 Preview & Game Predictions:

No. 9 Missouri at No. 25 Texas A&M (-2) - O/U49.5

Iowa at No. 3 Ohio State (-20.5) - O/U44.5

Auburn at No. 5 Georgia (-24) - O/U49.5

No. 12 Ole Miss (-9) at South Carolina - O/U51.5

No. 1 Alabama (-23) at Vanderbilt - O/U55.5

No. 4 Tennessee (-13.5) at Arkansas - O/U60.5

No. 10 Michigan at Washington (-2.5) - O/U40.5

Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 56 - “The Mr. Tecmo Bowl/LT Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- The “Dr. Pepper Fansville Curse” & its effect on QB's. . .

- NBA: First “Rosen-bomb” involving the Nets & Warriors?

- MLB: Dodgers Shohei Ohtani played a “perfect” game last Thursday - first ever addition to the

50/50 club? (Pretty sure JD was born into this club if we're referring to life)

- NFL: Is it time to have a candid conversation regarding the state of NFL

offenses? (overall production is down like it was in 2023, no O-Line depth, etc.)

Thoughts on why this is the case?

- Following Week 2, the NFL announced that they had fined Saints QB Derek Carr

$14k for his TD celebration. . . the same TD celebration that the LEAGUE

posted a clip of on their Twitter/X page roughly 24 hours prior. . . ridiculous, much?

- NFL Week 3 Review & Analysis: QB Aaron Rodgers leads the Jets to a 24-3 win

versus the New England Patriots in his first home start on Thursday Night

Football. . . are the Jets a legit Super Bowl contender? (ESPN's Pat McAfee thinks so!)

- A strong “vet presence” - Panthers WR Diontae Johnson regarding the impact of

QB Andy Dalton getting the start versus the Las Vegas Raiders - Dalton threw

three 1st-half TD's in a Panthers rout of the Raiders 36-22. . . is Andy Dalton

really a more-talented QB than second-year Bryce Young (or is this more

about “level of experience?”)

- The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New Orleans Saints 15-12. . . RB Saquon

Barkley, the NFL MVP frontrunner?. . .QB Jalen Hurts turnover issues?. . .

Dirty hit by Saints DT Khristian Boyd on Eagles WR Devonta Smith leads to

his exit from the game (concussion protocol) - has Saints head coach Dennis

Allen re-upped the Bounty?

- Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry rushed for 151 yards & 2 TD's in their

“close call” of a win versus the Dallas Cowboys 28-25. . . QB Lamar Jackson

to the camera on live television: “Stop tryin' to cheat us, bruh!”

- Two NFL games played on Monday Night - Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville

Jaguars/Washington Commanders vs. Cincinnati Bengals. . . one beatdown

& an NFL Rookie Record for percentage completion in a single game. . .

Bills dominate the struggling Jaguars 47-10. . . while Commanders QB Jayden

Daniels breaks NFL Rookie record by posting a 91% completion percentage

& leading WSH to a 38-33 win over the Bengals.

- NCAA: “Some People Will Never Learn” - the “If __________ loses to __________

this weekend, I will _______________________.” Twitter/X user @noles321

learned the hard way. . . but pussed out on ‘taking accountability' but K-State

parody/fan account @SAINTBillSnyder decided to follow suit with the assistance

of a “beefy 5-layer burrito” for his Kansas State Wildcats in their Week 4 matchup

versus BYU/following the 38-9 domination by the Cougars, the BYU Twitter/X page

left a cryptic post on their page (in reference to a particular fast food chain)

“Live Mas.” Mr. Burrito will pay his bet next Saturday (9/28) at 9:30 PM CST.

#ChristisLord and #JOHN316. . . how are these relevant? (Tune in to find out!)

- Former Heisman Trophy winning RB Reggie Bush announced on Monday that

he is suing USC, the NCAA & PAC-12 Conference “to seek compensation for past

use of his Name, Image & Likeness” (or NIL). . . will this lead to some type of domino

effect where former NCAA star athlete(s) - who were not privileged to today's NIL

policies - attempt to obtain funds from the NCAA after what is being branded as

“improper use”of former player/athletes for marketing/advertising campaigns?

(i.e., Cam Newton, Johnny Manziel, Vince Young, etc.?). . . this is most definitely

the “ugly” side of NIL. . .

- Country music artist Morgan Wallen - along with a few special guests - recently

sold out back-to-back concerts in Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee

that occurred on Saturday & Sunday nights. . . the infamous “walk-outs” made viral

by Tik Tok included the 2024 NCAA College Baseball National Champion Tennessee

Volunteers team, CFB head coach Josh Heupel, QB Nico lamaleava, WR Bru McCoy

& former Volunteer QB Peyton Manning in his old UT uniform. . . should artists

who have the amicable support be allowed to perform at stadiums and/or Universities

across the U.S.? If so, should the funds be divided between the University's NIL/booster

program and the performing artist?

- LSU & former 5-star LB Harold Perkins, Jr has been ruled “out for the season”

after tests revealed that he suffered a “torn ACL” in the first half of the game versus

UCLA in Week 4.

- NCAA CFB Week 4 Recap & Analysis: - QB Luke Altmyer & the Fighting Illini hold on to upset #23 Nebraska in Overtime

31-24 after Illinois's defense was able to sack Cornhusker QB Dylan Raiola three out

of the four plays in OT. Illinois advances to 4-0 (1-0) this season. . . but has a BIG

matchup next week. . .

A combined 120 points were scored in the game between the James Madison Dukes

(JMU) & the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill, NC. . . JMU

QB Alonza Barnett III accounted for how MANY TD's?! UNC head coach Mack

Brown has some serious explaining to do after this one. . .

- NFL QB Zach Wilson's younger brother & Utah Utes QB Isaac Wilson - and

RB Micah Bernard - lead Utah past Oklahoma State in a Big XII Conference battle

22-19; Utah's defense limited Oklahoma State & preseason favorite to win the

Heisman trophy, Ollie Gordon II, and experienced QB Alan Bowman to 285 yards

& forced a total eight punts in this game. . .

- QB Diego Pavia & the Vanderbilt Commodores were not given much of a chance

on the road versus the #7 Missouri Tigers. . . this is WHY you play the games!

Mizzou avoids the upset in double OT thriller 30-27. . . there is a valid argument

here as to why Vandy could potentially be 4-0 this season. . .

- #18 Michigan survived a scare at “The Big House” versus #11 USC after the

Trojans led by QB Miller Moss almost completed the comeback; Michigan

scored a TD with 0.37 seconds left to win the game 27-24. . .is it safe to say

the Wolverine's Kalel Mullings has replaced RB Donovan Edwards on the depth chart?

- #6 Tennessee gets a huge road W as the Vols take down the #15 Oklahoma Sooners

25-15 in Vols head coach (and former player/assistant coach at Oklahoma) Josh

Heupel's emotional return to Norman; UT has passed the “eye test,” but how

far can this team advance? a CFB playoff berth?

- NCAA CFB Week 5 Preview & Game Predictions: JD & Spencer provide their individual game picks for a few of the most

notable CFB games in Week 5 of the regular season:

#19 Illinois at #9 Penn State (-17.5) O/U47.5

#21 Oklahoma (-2.5) at Auburn O/U46.5

Colorado at UCF (-14.5) O/U63.5

#15 Louisville at #16 Notre Dame (-6.5) O/U48.5

South Alabama at #14 LSU (-21) O/U65.5

#2 Georgia (-1.5) at #4 Alabama O/U48.5

Thanks for Listening!!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 55 - “The White Chocolate Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- WNBA: Aces A'ja Wilson breaks WNBA scoring record?

- WNBA franchise expansion - 15th team expected to begin play in 2026

- NBA: No More "Woj Bombs?" ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarwoski announced on Wednesday afternoon via social media that he is "retiring" from ESPN & sports news. . . but is "returning home?"

- NFL: "It's Been a Horrible Week for Former Alabama QB's in the NFL" (Dolphin's Tua suffers another concussion, Panther's Bryce Young benched for backup QB Andy Dalton after terrible Week 2 performance, etc)

- Cardinals Rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. acknowledged that he was the target for all four of QB Kyler Murray's incompletions versus the Rams. . . guy is going to be a STAR!

- NFL Week 3 Recap, Breakdown & Analysis - Saints continue to roll, the 49ers [almost] entire offensive roster is injured, the Jaguar's Trevor Lawrence has lost his "spunk;"

- Welcome to the NFL, Rookies! - big performances from the Cardinals' WR Marvin Harrison, Jr & the New York Giants WR Malik Nabers. . .& much more!!

- NCAA: A Week 3 Breakdown & Analysis: Kansas State-Arizona, UCF-TCU, Alabama-Wisconsin, South Carolina-LSU, Georgia-Kentucky. . . & a discussion of the Week 3 slate of games. . .

- Week 4 Preview & Game Predictions: JD & Spencer provide a few of their game predictions for Week 4 including:

Illinois-Nebraska

NC State-Clemson

USC-Michigan

Utah-Oklahoma State

Vanderbilt-Missouri

Miami-USF &

Kansas State-BYU. . . Be sure to go follow us & share your Week 4 game predictions on Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest !!

Thanks for listening, guys!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 53 - “The Mark [Be]Eaton Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics and media storylines: ----

- WNBA: Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark is the new record-holder for most3-point baskets made in a player's Rookie season/also significantly contributed

to Indiana clinching a WNBA playoff berth (8-year postseason drought) - is the

World (i.e., social media) ready to give her credit where it's due?

Any chance she misses out on ‘WNBA Rookie of the Year' Award to Angel Reese?

- NBA: The Golden Boy “Stephen Curry” recently signed a staggering

$62.6M contract extension to remain with the Golden State Warriors

through the 2026-27 NBA season - is Steph OR any human being for

that matter worth a $60+ million dollar deal for one season?

How much of this contract extension is Golden State's blatant

attempt to prevent Steph from finishing out his career

elsewhere (rumblings from a few years ago that Steph had

expressed interest in possibly “going home,” and playing in

front of a crowd of people in his hometown)....

- NFL: The New England Patriots have announced that Jacoby Brissett

will be the starting QB to open the 2024 season instead of first-round

draft pick/Rookie Drake Maye…do you agree or disagree

with the decision? Why or why not?

- Roller coasters are fun…but the roller coaster or whirlwind that

was and has been the relationship between the San Francisco

49er's & WR Brandon Aiyuk…has not been too much fun

BUT it is finally over! (and NO! He did not get traded to the Steelers!)

- SF 49er's 1st round draft pick WR out of Florida Ricky Pearsall

was shot in the chest last Saturday during an attempted robbery by a

17-year old male who resided in Tracy, California…he was later

hospitalized and reported to be in “stable” condition - following

this tragedy, the Niners placed Pearsall on the IR/NFi

list (he will miss the first four games of the season) - but one

man's ‘bullet to the chest' is another man's ‘enlightenment' as Pearsall's

robbery really put life & football into perspective for All-PRO OT

Trent Williams, who ended his holdout from the team & signed a

$82.66M contract - did Trent Williams end his holdout after pondering

life & death? Typically, when people “ponder” such issues ...

they don't have the luxury of signing a 82 million dollar contract!

- Buffalo Bills' Safety Damar Hamlin will start the Regular

season opener in Week 1 - his first start since his on-field medical

emergency that occurred in Cincinnati in January 2023 - unfortunately,

Hamlin has displayed a tendency to get blown by in coverage,

will it be much of the same in 2024? Somewhere, former WR

Antonio Brown is lurking around the corner just waiting…

- Other Sports' News:

- NHL: RIP to the Guadreau brothers, Johnny & Matthew, who

passed away last Thursday after being hit by a drunk driver while

bicycling in their hometown of Oldmans Township, NJ;

Johnny G. played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Matthew

is a former collegiate hockey player; both brothers were in town

& were scheduled to be groomsmen in their sister Katie's wedding

the next day (i.e., Friday) in Philadelphia - the level of violence that this

drunk driver deserves is ridiculous, right? This creep did what when

he was informed that - due to the ‘Labor Day' holiday- he would

be forced to spend the weekend in jail?!? Do you believe that the

brothers' sister should be given the opportunity to commit an

unspeakable amount of violence on this guy?! (Yea, me neither….)

- Legendary eater Joey Chestnut completely redeemed himself - and

defeated long-time rival Kobayashi - after guzzling down a record 83

glizzy's - do the right thing, Nathan's!!!

- MLB: Angels Pitcher Ben Joyce breaks record for the fastest strike/pitch

in history at 105.5 mph - which current (or former) MLB player(s)

do you think could, not only make contact with the ball, but go yard?

- NCAA: Effective immediately, the SEC Conference has mandated

that their (Yes! That includes You, Texas & Oklahoma!) football,

basketball & baseball programs must provide and/or submit player

injury reports prior to each game - is this really a big deal for coaches

in terms of game planning OR a policy that is more closely intertwined

with sports betting? (JD & Spencer debate)

- Welcome Back, College Football! We Have Sincerely Missed You! We Have

to Acknowledge that our ‘Game Picks' or predictions for Week 1 were Not

Very Good….they actually turned out to be “Literal

- Week 1 Recap/Game Review & Analysis: Colorado-NDSU, Georgia-Clemson, Vanderbilt-Virginia Tech,

Michigan-Fresno State, Miami-Florida, Oregon-Idaho, LSU-USC,

Florida State-Boston College & many more!

- Most Notable Performance(s) of Week 1:Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty & his 6 TD's versus Georgia Southern,

Miami's QB Cam Ward team debut in the Swamp,

the SEC Conference dominated/multiple teams shut out the

opposing team (i.e., Ole Miss 76-0, Texas 52-0, Alabama 63-0, etc.)

- CFB Week 2 Preview & (Let's Try These) Game Picks (Again!): JD & Spencer provide their predictions for some of the most notable

Week 2 matchups in the top 25: Texas @ Michigan, Arkansas @ Oklahoma

State, Iowa State @ Iowa, USF @ Alabama, Tennessee @ NC State,

Appalachian State @ Clemson & Boise State @ Oregon.

Thanks for Listening, guys!