Tradition's Finest Podcast

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 122 - The "Whack Heard 'Round The World" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: Charles Bediako's college basketball career is officially over, Again. .after an Alabama circuit judge denied his motion appeal for a preliminary injunction on Monday, ending the 7-foot center's season with Nate Oats & the Alabama Crimson Tide - - Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Daniel F. Pruet halted Bediako's bid to regain eligibility after he left Alabama early to enter the 2023 NBA Draft, and although he went undrafted, he did sign a two-way NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs & played the past three (3) seasons in the NBA's developmental league (i.e., G-League) - moves that ultimately disqualified him from collegiate competition, according to the NCAA - - Judge Pruet ruled that Bediako did not have a "reasonable expectation," that he would be allowed to return to college basketball when no other player has been granted such eligibility under similar circumstances, although Amari Bailey, the former UCLA standout guard, who was drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft & physically competed in 10 NBA games throughout his two-year career, and is now attempting to regain eligibility to play at the collegiate level - - The Bediako ruling, whether you agree or disagree with the result, should serve as a precedent for the NCAA and college sports universally: in other words, if you give up eligibility and decide to turn pro, and are willingly drafted, you are not entitled to return to college sports just because you aren't the 'star player,' or if you spend more time on the bench than you do on the court (or field, etc.) - - Shortly after the ruling on Monday, NCAA President Charlie Baker released a statement, stating that he was glad that the court "upheld the rules of our members,". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Tuscaloosa County (AL) Circuit Judge's ruling to deny Charles Bediako's appeal for NCAA eligibility? Should this particular ruling serve as a precedent for other prospects that are attempting to regain eligibility at the NCAA (or college) level?. . .In this next section, JD & Spencer discuss a few of the more impactful and/or notable NCAA men's college basketball games from across the country that occurred this past weekend, including, but not limited to the following matchups: the Seth Trimble "buzzer beater" in the heated rivalry between No.4 Duke Blue Devils and No.14 North Carolina Tar Heels (Saturday 2/7); the Darryn Peterson-less & No.9 Kansas Jayhawks pull off the upset over No.1 and previously unbeaten Arizona Wildcats (Monday 2/9). . .

- NFL - - "The 15th Annual NFL Honors:" On Thursday, and three (3) days prior to Super Bowl 60, the NFL wrapped up the 2025 season by recognizing its' top individual performers, at the 15th Annual NFL Honors Ceremony, which were hosted by actor Jon Hamm, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, where it once again served as the forum for the league to reveal the winners of its' most prestigious awards: this included such awards as the Offensive & Defensive Player of the Year as well as the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and finally, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, which were presented by a variety of celebrities (i.e., Druski) and NFL Hall of Fame legends (i.e., Jerry Rice) - - The Pro Football Hall of Fame also unveiled its five-person class, which had already been a topic of speculation & controversy after it was revealed last week that Bill Belichick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft & former New York Giants & Super-Bowl winning QB Eli Manning, had been omitted as first-ballot Hall of Famers - - Let's examine the outcome & discuss our thoughts regarding each individual award that was presented at this year's Honors' ceremony:

AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award was presented to Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett - - Garrett, the preeminent EDGE/pass rusher of his generation, he took advantage of the 2025 league year, turning it into a record-breaking season, which subsequently led to him winning his second DPOY award - - Garrett's 23 sacks broke the single-season record that was previously shared by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan & Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt - - **NOTE: Garrett achieved this feat despite being double-teamed or chipped on 39.5% of his pass rushes this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, more than any other pass rusher in the NFL - - Also, his 33 TFL were the second-most by a player since the year 2000, trailing only J.J. Watt's 39 in 2012. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Browns DE Myles Garrett being awarded the 2025 AP NFL DPOY award? Do you think Myles Garrett will go down in NFL history as the most proficient/explosive EDGE to ever play in the league?. . .

AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan - - McMillan referred to his rookie season in the NFL as "average," but the Panthers wideout was anything but that - - **NOTE: The No.8 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft finished the regular season with 70 catches on 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven (7) TDs to lead all rookies in receiving yards, and to set a Carolina Panthers franchise record in that category - - Twenty-seven (27) of his receptions were considered explosive (16+ yards), more than any other rookie in the league - - and quite possibly, the most important aspect of McMillan's presence in Carolina, is that QB Bryce Young, for the first time in his three (3) seasons spent in the league, had a true WR1, which allowed him to flourish statistically - as well as to assist the Panthers in advancing to the NFL postseason. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan being awarded the 2025 AP NFL OROY Award? Do you expect that he will continue to be a major threat through the air for the Carolina Panthers for the near foreseeable future?. . .

2025 AP NFL Protector of the Year Award: The 2025 and inaugural AP NFL Protector of the Year Award was presented to Chicago Bears Guard Joe Thuney - - Thuney earned first-team All-Pro honors for a fourth straight season, and paid immediate dividends for the Bears' revamped offensive line after being traded from Kansas City to Chicago in March of this year - - The 33-year-old LG did not allow a single sack & logged the second-most snaps of any of the other players on the Bears' offense (99.57%), as QB Caleb Williams took 44 fewer sacks in 2025 than in his rookie season, in large part due to the notable improvements Chicago made along the interior of the offensive line - - **NOTE: Thuney was tied for the lead among all interior offensive linemen in pass block win rate this season by sustaining his blocks for 2.5 seconds 98% of the time - - Shortly after LT Ozzy Trapilo (rookie) went down after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the playoffs, Thuney moved to LT for Chicago's divisional round matchup against the Rams, which marked the second consecutive postseason in which Thuney was moved to play at the tackle position. . .

2025 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year Award: The 2025 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award was presented to San Francisco 49ers do-it-all RB Christian McCaffrey - - After bilateral Achilles tendinitis and a right knee injury limited him to just four (4) games in the 2024 NFL season, Niners RB Christian McCaffrey returned to his usual, versatile self in 2025 - - **NOTE: This is McCaffrey's first Comeback Player of the Year award after he finished second in 2022 - - He earned it by virtue of his 2,126 scrimmage yards (second in the NFL) and 17 total TDs (3rd) - and perhaps, more important, he started all 19 games for San Francisco (including the playoffs) - - In the 2025 regular season, McCaffrey had a league-high 413 touches, which is 44 more than the next closest player, and the highest total of his nine (9) seasons in the league - - In the offseason, McCaffrey spent much of his time rehabbing from his knee injury and strengthening his Achilles to take on the rigors of another season - - and in 2025, as injuries mounted around him, he was the one constant in San Francisco's offense, playing a pivotal role in helping the Niners finish the regular season with a 12-5 record, and reach the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Niners' RB Christian McCaffrey being awarded the 2025 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award?. . .

2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award was presented to New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel, who in his first season with the franchise, led the Patriots to its' 12th Super Bowl appearance - - Taking over a team that won just four (4) games in each of the past two seasons, Vrabel directed the Patriots to a 14-3 record at the conclusion of the regular season - - **NOTE: The 10-game improvement tied the 1999 Colts and 2008 Dolphins for the best turnaround in NFL history, as he joins George Seifert (1989, Niners) & Jim Caldwell (2009, Colts) as the only coaches to win 14 games in their first year with an NFL franchise - - Players credited Vrabel, 50, with instilling a culture that placed a heavy emphasis on connectivity, and one such way that he did that, was by introducing his "4 H's" in the spring, where each coach & player shared their history, hero, heartbreak and hope in front of the entire team. . .Q: What are your thoughts on New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel being awarded the 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award?. . .

2025 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year: The 2025 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year Award was presented to New England Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, as he was recognized for transforming the Patriots' offense into a top six unit in the league in total, passing, and rushing yards, while also helping to develop second-year QB Drake Maye - - In returning to New England for his third separate stint as the OC, the 49-year-old McDaniels had spent 2024 out of the NFL after being fired as the Raiders HC in October 2023 - - His work with Maye this season has been exemplary, helping the second-year QB develop into a bonafide MVP candidate, as the two spent the spring getting to know each other, which ultimately led to the QB finishing the 2025 season ranked first in completion percentage (72%), QBR (77.1) and yards per attempt (8.93) - - **NOTE: The Patriots' offense under McDaniels, which was just the second team in the league since 2000 to open a season with rookies starting at LT (Will Campbell) and LG (Jared Wilson), and finished the regular season ranked third in total yards per game (379.4). . .

2025 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award:The 2025 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Cleveland Browns LB Carson Schwesinger - - On a defense that saw DE Myles Garrett break the single-season sack record, it was difficult to ignore Schwesinger - - **NOTE: The No.33 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Schwesinger led all rookies in tackles (146) and TFLs (11), and he tied for third in INTs (2) - - A former walk-on at UCLA, Schwesinger wore a helmet with the easily identifiable green dot, serving as the signal-caller for the league's fourth-best team in total defense. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Browns LB Carson Schwesinger being awarded the 2025 AP DROY?. . .

2025 AP Offensive Player of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award was presented to Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as the former Ohio St. wideout played his way into the conversation of the NFL's best WRs with the most prolific season a Seahawks pass catcher has ever had: **NOTE: Smith-Njigba's 1,793 receiving yards led the NFL & set a franchise record, and he scored 10 TDs & finished second among all players in yards per target at 10.9 on his way to making the Pro Bowl & being named a first-team All-Pro- - and, he recorded these stats, meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, were the NFL's most run-heavy offense in the league, with a designed rush rate of 47.6%. . .Q: What are your thoughts on JSN being awarded the 2025 AP NFL OPOY Award? Were you surprised in the slightest bit that JSN won the Award?. . .

2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award: The 2025 AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award was presented to Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford - - At the ripe age of 37, and in his 17th NFL season, Stafford led the NFL in passing yards (4,707), TDs (46) and TDs-to-INTs ratio (5.8) - - He threw for 313 more passing yards & 15 more TDs than MVP runner-up, and New England Patriots QB Drake Maye - - **NOTE: Stafford's 2025 season was the eighth time in NFL history that a QB threw for at least 4,500 yards and 45 TDs in a single season, according to ESPN Research - where six (6) of the previous seven (7) QBs to do so were awarded the NFL MVP Award, with the only exception being Drew Brees in 2011, as QB Aaron Rodgers also reached those thresholds that season - - Stafford went eight (8) consecutive games without throwing an INT in the middle of the 2025 season, which is incredibly difficult to do - - and during that particular stretch, Stafford threw 28 straight TDs, and according to Elias, that was the longest streak of passing TDs without an INT by any player since play-by-play was first tracked in 1978 - - Prior to stepping down from the stage, and after Stafford was presented with the 2025 MVP Award, Stafford took the time to make a major announcement: he will be returning for the 2026 NFL season as he embarks on his 18th season in the league. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Rams QB Matthew Stafford being awarded the 2025 NFL MVP Award? Thoughts or input on Stafford's announcement that he will return for the Rams next season?. . .

The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, which was announced on Thursday night as part of the NFL Honors ceremony, included the following former NFL players: (1) QB Drew Brees, who is one (of two) NFL QBs to throw for more than 80,000 career yards. . .(2) WR Larry Fitzgerald, who finished his career second only to Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in career receptions and receiving yards; and joining them will be. . .(3) LB Luke Kuechly and (4) Kicker Adam Vinatieri, and finally (5) RB Roger Craig, one of three (3) Senior finalists, will also be in the 2026 Hall of Fame class. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026? Do you question as to why these particular five players are eligible for HOF enshrinement, and Bill Belichick is not?. . .

- Atlanta Falcons rookie LB James Pearce Jr. allegedly crashed his vehicle into another that was being driven by WNBA player Rickea Jackson multiple times & struck a police officer with the vehicle while evading arrest, according to a criminal complaint obtained by ESPN from the Miami-Dade County (FL) state attorney's office - - Pearce was arrested Saturday in Florida on five (5) felony charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking & aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer - - Pearce was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Sunday night after posting a $20,500 bond - - Jackson informed police that she and Pearce had previously dated for approximately three (3) years, but recently ended their relationship - - Jackson, who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks, told police that she saw Pearce following her car in a white Lamborghini SUV on Saturday morning - - When Jackson's car stopped at a red light, Pearce got out of his vehicle and attempted to open her car door on the driver's side – Jackson accelerated away & started driving toward the Doral (Florida) Police Department – Pearce reentered his vehicle and continued following her, and during the drive to the police station, Jackson said Pearce “intentionally collided into the rear of her vehicle,” with his SUV – As she got to the intersection near the police station, Jackson said Pearce cut her off with his car and when she attempted to back out and get away, he used his car to collide with hers head-on - - Doral PD responded to the scene after Jackson called - - and according to the affidavit, they saw Pearce standing on the outside of his SUV on the driver's side with the door open – An officer pulled a gun on Pearce and ordered him to get on the ground, yet Pearce got back in his car & closed the door - - The officer opened the door, but Pearce shut it again, locked it & drove away - - While Pearce was driving away, the SUV struck an officer in his left knee, as the affidavit describes it as “intentionally in an attempt to evade arrest.” - - Police followed Pearce's vehicle in cars until Pearce crashed at an intersection, at which point, Pearce then got out of his car & fled on foot - - Officers were able to catch up with him, though Pearce “began to resist arrest by tensing his arms and not allowing officers to apprehend him.” - - The affidavit says Pearce was “triaged on scene” and later taken to Jackson West Medical Center for further assessment, and after which, he spent Saturday night and most of the day Sunday in custody at Turner Guilford Knight Corrections Center - - Pearce is facing two felony counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a felony count of aggravated stalking – Other charges include fleeing and eluding police officers and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer - - also felonies - - and a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence to his person - - In response to the incident, the Atlanta Falcons issued a statement Saturday night saying they were “gathering more information.” - - **NOTE: Pearce, who finished third in AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting at NFL Honors on Thursday, set a Falcons rookie record with a team-leading 10.5 sacks in 2025. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' James Pearce Jr. situation? Should the NFL franchise consider releasing the rookie LB?. . ."Super Bowl LX Review & Recap:" In this particular discussion segment, JD & Spencer provide a detailed review of Super Bowl 60 as well as a recap of the halftime show. . .**Be Sure to Tune in for the Tradition's Finest Super Bowl LX Review. . .

- NFL (cont'd) - - Klint Kubiak just won the Super Bowl, but unlike his fellow Seahawks, he is not headed to Disney World. . .Nah, Kubiak is going to Las Vegas, Sin City, baby!. . The NFL Network interviewed the Seahawks OC in the aftermath of Seattle's dominant 29-13 win over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday night, and in the post-game interview, he confirmed what might've been the worst kept secret in football. . . .that he's leaving Seattle to take over as the next HC of the Las Vegas Raiders after signing a five-year deal with the franchise, and he is "very excited to get to work!" - - Kubiak didn't volunteer the information when asked an open-ended question, but when pressed, he spilled the beans: "You guys know I'm going to Las Vegas, I'm fired up about it," Kubiak said. "Hell yeah, I'm going! Of course I'm going!" - - however, the news has essentially been known for a week now, as Kubiak and the Raiders reportedly reached an agreement on a deal on Feb.1, but since Kubiak was the OC of an NFL franchise that was preparing to play in the Super Bowl, neither he nor the Raiders could confirm their partnership - - And while Kubiak is highly unlikely to return to the Super Bowl next season, there's a reason for excitement for the Raiders franchise, who are coming off a 3-14 campaign in 2025 - as there's a decent chance that Heisman Trophy winner & national champion-winning QB Fernando Mendoza will play for the "Black & Grey" next season. . .Q: What overall grade would you assess the Las Vegas Raiders' hire of Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next HC?. . .

- NBA - - Prior to the Detroit Pistons' 110-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, a fight between both sides in the 3rd QTR, resulted in four (4) player ejections: Charlotte's Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges were tossed along with Detroit's Jalen Duren & Isaiah Stewart (who would have guessed it?!?), while Hornets coach Charles Lee was ejected in the 4th QTR after he had to be restrained from going after an official while arguing a call - - The brawl was initiated by the following event(s): Pistons' Jalen Duren had the ball and was driving toward the basket with just over seven (7) minutes left in the 3rd QTR when he was fouled by Hornets' Moussa Diabate - - Duren turned around to get face-to-face with Diabate, and the two appeared to butt heads - Duren then pushed Diabate in the face with his open right hand, starting a confrontation that lasted more than 30 seconds, and ultimately ended with a brief police presence on the court - - While Pistons forward Tobias Harris was holding Diabate back, Diabate threw a punch at Duren, who turned & walked away - - but then Hornets' Miles Bridges began to charge at Diabate, throwing a left-handed punch - - Duren then retaliated with a punch, and Diabate attempted to charge at Duren again & had to be restrained - - Meanwhile, Detroit Pistons' Isaiah Stewart (aka "The Ultimate Fighter") left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded immediately with a punch, and the players tussled - - and at one point, Stewart got Bridges in a headlock and delivered multiple left-handed blows to his head. . .**UPDATE: The NBA announced that Detroit Pistons F/C Isaiah Stewart has been suspended for seven (7) games for leaving the Pistons' bench and for participating in the brawl on Monday night - - The league also suspended Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate four (4) games each for fighting and escalating the altercation, which occurred midway through the 3rd QTR - - Pistons center Jalen Duren was also suspended two games for initiating the altercation & fighting, the league released in a statement on Tuesday. . .LeBron James' All-NBA streak is officially coming to an end, and the Lakers were majorly undermanned Tuesday night when they hosted the San Antonio Spurs - - James was ruled out of the game with left foot arthritis, the Lakers announced, along with announcing the absences of Luka Doncic (hamstring strain), Austin Reaves (left calf injury management) and Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness) - - It was James' 18th missed games of the season, making it impossible for him to reach the 65-game minimum threshold that's required to be eligible for the NBA's annual awards, whereas James has been named to an All-NBA team for a record-setting 21 straight seasons. . .Q: Should the NBA, at minumum, name LeBron James as a member of this year's Third-Team All-NBA, just to prolong his historic run? Or not a chance in hell?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 121 - "The Super Bowl Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer introduce and have a brief discussion on the most recent and/or updated Week 13 release of the AP Men's College Basketball Top 25 Poll - - as well as to dive into a few of the most notable NCAAM basketball games from across the country this past week, including but not limited to: (1) last Friday's Top-25 matchup between the Michigan Wolverines & Michigan State Spartans, (2) the Top-10 battle between Big Ten Conference foes, Illinois & Nebraska, and finally, (3) Sunday's SEC Conference showdown between the Crimson Tide & the reigning national champion Florida Gators. . .As we entered into this week, or the first week of February - and with "March Madness" just around the corner - the Arizona Wildcats & the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks are the last two unbeaten teams standing, and with the release of the Week 13 AP Top 25 poll, only four (4) teams' rankings remain unchanged from the previous week - - The Wildcats held on to the unanimous No.1 ranking for a third consecutive week, as Arizona has its best start in program history, and it's 22-0 record is also tied for the longest winning streak in school history (i.e., The Wildcats won 22 straight games in 1914-17) - - Saturday, Jan. 31st: No.1 Arizona Wildcats at Arizona State Sun Devils - - Koa Peat scored 21 points, fellow freshman Brayden Burries came off the bench to add 17, and No.1 Arizona defeated in-state rival Arizona State 87-74 on Saturday, setting a school record with their 22nd straight win to start the season - - Arizona (22-0, 9-0 Big 12) is one of just two undefeated teams in the nation, along with No.23 Miami (Ohio) - - **NOTE: The Wildcats' winning streak also tied the Big 12 record to start a season, which was originally set by the Kansas Jayhawks in 1996-97- - Arizona State led for much of the first few minutes of the game, but the Wildcats used a 13-2 scoring run to take a 25-18 lead with 7:00 left in the first half, as Koa Peat made a layup to cap the run, finishing through contact that left him bloodied around his left eye - - The Sun Devils recovered, tying the game at 38-all just before the halftime break when Sun Devils G Noah Meeusen made a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining - - The Wildcats, who shot 60% from the field in the second half, scored the first six (6) points to begin the second half, to take a 44-38 lead & never trailed again - - While the gritty Sun Devils cut into the deficit several times, they never could generate enough offense to keep pace with the Wildcats - - Stat Leaders: Noah Meeusen scored 16 points, while guard Maurice Odom added 15 for the Sun Devils, and Arizona State (11-11, 2-7 Big 12) has dropped nine (9) of its last 11 games, whereas C Motiejus Krivas fought through foul trouble to finish with 15 points, and forward Tobe Awaka had a career-high 13 rebounds - - **NOTE: The Sun Devils fell to 2-10 all-time against the nation's No.1 team, as their last win over a top-ranked program came when Arizona State knocked off Kansas in Dec. 2018. . .In the Week 13 AP Poll, the Wildcats are followed by the Michigan Wolverines, which flipped spots with the UConn Huskies (No.3) to move up to the No.2 spot, following their conference wins over previously-unbeaten No.5 Nebraska, as well as their in-state rival in Tom Izzo's Spartans, as the Wolverines are 5-0 against ranked teams this season - with four (4) of those wins coming by double-digits - - As for the No.3 Huskies, they improved to 11-0 in Big East Conference play for the first time since its' 1998-99 NCAA title run - - **NOTE: UConn is on a 17-game winning streak, its longest single-season win streak since winning 19 in a row in the 1998-99 season - - Friday, Jan. 30th: No.3 Michigan Wolverines at No.17 Michigan State Spartans - - Prior to tipoff, Michigan State fans serenaded Michigan HC Dusty May with expletive-filled chants, but it was the Wolverines' HC that would ultimately have the last laugh in this one: Forward Yaxel Lendeborg had 26 points & 12 rebounds, guards Elliot Cadeau scored 17 and Morez Johnson added 12 points to lead No.3 Michigan to an 83-71 victory over the 17th-ranked Spartans in East Lansing on Friday night - - With the win, the Wolverines (20-1, 10-1 Big Ten) moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten Conference, whereas the Spartans (19-3, 9-2 Big Ten) missed 14 of their 18 shots (22%), and they finished the first half with more turnovers (11) than FGM (7) and trailed the Wolverines by 16 points at the halftime break - - Michigan State went on a 13-2 run early in the second half to pull within three (3) points and F Jaxon Kohler, who finished the game with 12 points, made a game-tying 3-pointer with 7:57 left in regulation - - G Jeremy Fears, who scored a career-high 31 points, had a steal and a layup that put the Spartans ahead 57-55 with 7:27 to go for their first lead of the game. . .but that didn't last too long. . .as Michigan responded with clutch shooting, making 5 of 6 shots, while holding Michigan State scoreless for more than three (3) minutes to seal its sixth straight victory, and as Michigan finished the game on a 19-8 run in the final four (4) minutes of regulation - - Stat Leaders: Forwards Coen Carr & Jordan Scott each scored 10 points for the Spartans, whose seven-game winning streak was snapped by the Wolverines - - Michigan had a big advantage in outside shooting, making 8 of 21 (38%) of their three-point shots, while Michigan State missed 19 of 23 (17%) shots from beyond the arc - - "No Love Lost:" Michigan HC Dusty May & Michigan State HC Tom Izzo accused each other's team of "dirty play" after the Wolverines' 83-71 victory on Friday, as during one particular sequence in the game, Michigan State star guard Jeremy Fears made contact with Yaxel Lendeborg, appearing to trip the Michigan star forward, and with May claiming that the act was "intentional," whereas Izzo responded that it was "the result of heated competition," but this back & forth between the two coaches will most certainly stir the pot and/or add fuel to the fire of this in-state rivalry between the Wolverines and Spartans. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the accusatory comments made at the press conference on Monday by Michigan HC Dusty May and Michigan State HC Tom Izzo? - - At No.4 in this week's AP Top 25 poll is Duke, as the Blue Devils are 20-1, its fewest games required to reach 20 wins since the 2007-08 season, and at No.5 is the Illinois Fighting Illini - - **NOTE: The Big Ten Conference continues to have two teams the top five, with Illinois replacing Nebraska as the final team, after the Cornhuskers dropped two straight games this past week (i.e., at Michigan, vs. Illinois): Illini freshman guard Keaton Wagler is the first player in AP poll history to score 25 or more points in multiple road wins against top five opponents this season (i.e., 46 in road win over Purdue & 28 points this weekend over Nebraska) - as the Cornhuskers remain in the top 10, however, they did slide down four (4) spots to No.9 this week - - Sunday, Feb. 1st: No.9 Illinois Fighting Illini at No.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers - - Freshman guard Keaton Wagler scored 28 points as No.9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, defeating No.5 Nebraska 78-69 on Sunday in the first top-10 matchup the Cornhuskers have hosted - - The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven't lost a game since an 83-80 loss at home to Nebraska back on Dec.13, held the Huskers to four (4) FGs in the first 13 minutes of the second half - - The Cornhuskers (20-2, 9-2 Big Ten) lost its second consecutive game, after they lost to No.3 Michigan on the road last Tuesday, which ended their 24-game win streak dating back to last season - - Stat Leaders: F Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, C Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and F David Mirkovic had 10, whereas F Braden Frager - who returned for the Cornhuskers after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury - scored 20 points, F Pryce Sandfort added 14 points, guards Sam Hoiberg & Jamarques Lawrence scored 13 and 10 points, respectively - - Nebraska hit 11 of 20 (55%) of its 3-point attempts before halftime to take a 39-33 lead into the halftime break, however, the 'Huskers came out flat, only making four (4) 3-pointers in the second half against a tightened Illinois defense - - The Illini outscored Nebraska 18-8 to open the second half, as Keaton Wagler nailed a 3-pointer with 13:05 remaining to put Illinois ahead 49-47, a lead it did not relinquish - as the Huskers trailed by at least seven (7) points the rest of the way - - While Illinois made nine (9) 3-pointers to 15 for Nebraska, the Illini dominated the free-throw line, outscoring the Huskers 21-4, and they also had a 10-point edge in the paint & 40-27 advantage in rebounds - - Gonzaga remained at No.6, while Iowa State & Houston climbed one spot apiece (No.7 and No.8, respectively) - - Following their loss to in-state rival Michigan, the Michigan State Spartans fell three (3) spots to No.10 - - Tuesday, Feb. 3rd: No.23 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at Buffalo Bulls - - Guard Luke Skaljac scored a career-high 19 points as No.23 Miami (Ohio) once again avoided the upset, held on for the 73-71 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday night, extending the longest winning streak in MAC Conference history to 23 games - - Stat Leaders: G Brant Byers added 11 points for the RedHawks (23-0, 11-0 MAC), and Peter Suder finished with 10 points, 8 assists & 5 boards, whereas guards Angelo Brizzi scored 22 points & Daniel Freitag had 18 to lead Buffalo (14-9, 4-7 MAC) - - The Bulls have now lost seven (7) their last eight (8) games following a 13-2 start to the regular season, which was the second-best in the program's history at the D-1 level - - **NOTE: Miami's 73 points were a season low, as the RedHawks entered the game leading the country in averaging 93.7 points per game - - The Bulls tied the score three (3) times with less than seven (7) minutes remaining before Miami took command with a 6-0 run, and by holding Buffalo scoreless over a 3:49 span - - This was the second consecutive close game between these two MAC teams this season, as previously, the RedHawks defeated the Bulls 105-102 in OT on Jan. 17 - - **NOTE: Miami's ranking is its highest since being ranked No.22 in November 1998, and they are the first MAC program ranked since Buffalo finished the 2018-19 season at No.15. . .Q: Are the No. 23 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks a legit contender in this year's NCAA Tournament, or more likely a pretender? (i.e., do you expect them to advance beyond the Round of 64? 32?) - - The Kansas Jayhawks climbed three (3) spots to No.11 following its 90-82 win over BYU on Saturday, while the Purdue Boilermakers remained at the No.12 spot, and Texas Tech closed out the week at No.13 - - North Carolina & Vanderbilt rounded out the top 15, and BYU, Florida, Virginia, Saint Louis & Clemson finished out the top 20 - - **NOTE: The Saint Louis Billikens (21-1), who had won 15 consecutive games, have reached their highest ranking since March 2024, when they were ranked 18th, and went on to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship - and to date, they have seven (7) 100-point games this season, tied with Georgia, Miami (OH) & Michigan for the most in Division I, as well as the most such games in a single season in A-10 history - The Billikens are led by guard Robbie Avila aka "Cream Abdul-Jabbar," who on the season is averaging 12.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg, and is shooting 53.3% from the field - - Arkansas, St. John's, Miami (Ohio), Louisville & Tennessee held down the final five spots (i.e., No.21 - 25) in this week's Top 25 Poll - - Sunday, Feb. 1st: No.23 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.19 Florida Gators - - Forward Alex Condon scored 25 points, Thomas Haugh added 22 and No.19 Florida dominated the No.23 Crimson Tide & Charles Bediako 100-77 on Sunday afternoon, which was Florida's fifth consecutive victory in the series, and occurred a little more than a week after Gators HC Todd Golden made the following statement: "We're gonna beat 'em anyways," in reference to a Tuscaloosa County judge's decision to allow Bediako to return to college - - This game was so one-sided that 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, the world's tallest teenager, checked into the game for the final minute & scored the Gators' last basket - - Prior to that, Florida used a 13-2 scoring run late in the first half to help build a 10-point lead at the halftime break, and ultimately turned the Top-25 matchup into a lopsided affair by scoring the first 12 points coming out of the locker room - - Guard Boogie Fland chipped in 15 points, 8 assists as well as one of the wildest stats observed in a D-I college basketball game: he finished with eight (8) steals for the defending national champion Gators (16-6, 7-2 SEC), as Fland dominated his matchup against the SEC's leading scorer, Labaron Philon - - **NOTE: Fland's eight (8) steals matched the program record, which was set by Clifford Lett in 1989 - - Philon, who entered into this game, averaging 22 points, finished with 14, while fellow guard Aden Holloway led the Crimson Tide (14-7, 4-4 SEC), with 19 points - - It was Florida's frontcourt that was the difference in this game: Condon, Haugh & Rueben Chinyelu combined for 61 points, 29 rebounds & five (5) blocks, and the Gators outscored Alabama 72-26 in the paint - - **NOTE: The stat of the game: Alabama finished the game with 18 turnovers, while Florida had just two - - As for Bediako, the 7-foot center who is suing the NCAA in an attempt to regain college eligibility, played in his third game with the Crimson Tide and first on the road, while Florida's student section taunted him with chants of "G League dropout," when he entered the game and each time he touched the ball: Bediako finished the game with six (6) points and seven (7) rebounds prior to fouling out with a little over two minutes to play - - "Rising and Falling:" Kansas, Vandy & St. John's made up the most ground this week, climbing three (3) spots apiece, while Tennessee, who were previously ranked as high as No.13 earlier in the season, climbed back into the poll at No.25 after falling out of the rankings for two weeks: The Volunteers returned to the AP Poll at the expense of Alabama, as Nate Oats' squad had the fifth-longest active poll streak in the country, snapped at 42 consecutive weeks - - "Conference Watch:" The Big 12 Conference led the Week 13 AP Poll with six (6) teams, while the Big Ten and ACC both had five (5) apiece - - The SEC had four (4) ranked teams, the Big East had two (2) and the West Coast (WCC), Atlantic-10 (A10) and MAC each had one apiece. . .Former UCLA standout Amari Bailey said he is attempting to become the first basketball player to return to college after playing in NBA games - - The 6-foot-3 guard played one season at UCLA in 2022-23 before entering the 2023 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round: Bailey would go on to play in 10 games for the Hornets throughout his rookie season on a two-way contract, and spent two years in the G League prior to being cut over the summer - - Bailey, 21, has hired an agent and a lawyer to prepare for a fight with the NCAA over his eligibility in hopes that he may join a college team and play one more season - as his effort will be another substantial legal test for the NCAA's ability to enforce rules that decide who can participate college sports, especially during an era where waivers and lawsuits are tools that may be used as a viable way to obtain entry into the sport . . .Q: Should Amari Bailey be permitted to return to playing college basketball after participating in 10 games for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets after being drafted in 2023?. . .

- NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA College Football: Florida State OC Gus Malzahn announced his retirement on Monday after 35 years spent in coaching, which included stints as the HC at Arkansas State, Auburn & UCF - - Malzahn, 60, spent this past season with the Seminoles to be closer to family after stepping down at UCF, where he spent the previous four (4) seasons - - **NOTE: In 13 years as a HC at the collegiate level, Malzahn went 105-62, with only two losing seasons - - In eight (8) years spent at Auburn from 2013 to 2020, Malzahn went 63-35, including a national championship game appearance in 2013 against Florida State & two SEC West division titles - - In his one year at Florida State, the Seminoles' offense improved dramatically, as FSU led the ACC Conference in total offense (472.1 ypg) and rushing (218.7 ypg) - - After beginning his career as a high school coach in Arkansas, Malzahn's high-tempo spread offense got him into the college game, first as an OC at Arkansas in 2006 and eventually as the OC at Auburn from 2009 to 2011, where his offense helped QB Cam Newton win the Heisman Trophy, and the Tigers to achieve a 14-0 perfect season as well as win the 2010 national title - - Sources indicated that family considerations led Malzahn to step down, and shortly afterward, Florida State HC Mike Norvell announced that co-OC and WRs coach Tim Harris, had been promoted to fulfill the vacant OC position. . .Q: As Alabama fans, we certainly have witnessed & endured our fair share of battles with Gus Malzahn while he was the OC (and HC) at Auburn, but it would be almost impossible for us to not acknowledge the legacy of the "Gus-train," and how impressive of an offensive-minded coach he is: What are your thoughts on Gus Malzahn's retirement announcement?. . .

- NFL - - The Arizona Cardinals have hired Mike LaFleur as their new HC, with the Los Angeles Rams OC agreeing to a five-year contract, the team announced on Sunday afternoon - - **NOTE: LaFleur is now the fourth Rams OC under Sean McVay to be hired as an NFL head coach, and with all four (4) of those former OCs currently serving as NFL HCs (i.e., 2023-25: Mike LaFleur --> Cardinals; 2022: Liam Coen --> Jaguars; 2020-21: Kevin O'Connell --> Vikings; *2018-19: No OC; and 2017: Matt LaFleur --> Packers) - - LaFleur, 38, replaces Jonathan Gannon, who was fired as Arizona's HC on Jan.5, kicking off a search for Gannon's replacement that lasted nearly a month - - **NOTE: LaFleur is the sixth straight HC hired by the Cardinals who does not have permanent NFL head coaching experience (and it shows!), however, he does come to Arizona with a coaching pedigree and experience as an offensive playcaller: he spent the past three (3) seasons as the Rams OC and was the New York Jets OC from 2021-2022, however, LaFleur did not call the plays for the Rams, as it was under the guidance of HC Sean McVay - - **NOTE: Oh, and in terms of that coaching pedigree, LaFleur's older brother is Matt, the HC for the Green Bay Packers - - He has a deep familiarity with the NFC West division, after having spent three (3) seasons in Los Angeles and four (4) seasons - 2017 to 2020 - with the San Francisco 49ers - - LaFleur inherits a Cardinals' team that finished 3-14 last season, owns the third (3rd) pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, and has a question mark at the QB position - as it is unknown whether Kyler Murray, Arizona's incumbent starter, will remain on the team for the 2026 season despite having $39.8 million already guaranteed - - He will be leading a team whose offense dropped off significantly in 2025 to become the 19th-ranked unit in the league, a year after being ranked 11th, whereas the Cardinals' defense ranked 27th (out of 32) last year after being 21st in 2024. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Arizona Cardinals hiring of Rams OC Mike LaFleur as their new HC and Jonathan Gannon's replacement? Does the Arizona Cardinals franchise put forth much faith in their coaching staff to succeed? - - "Super Bowl LX Preview Special:" In this particular discussion segment, JD & Spencer will preview, analyze, breakdown, provide their individual (and independent) predictions for the upcoming Super Bowl that is scheduled to occur in Santa Clara (CA) on Sunday, Feb. 8. . .

Super Bowl LX: Seattle Seahawks (-4.5) vs. New England Patriots        O/U46.5

(I) Introduction: The New England Patriots (17-3) and the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) will meet in Super Bowl LX on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara - - **NOTE: It will mark the first Super Bowl since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger between two teams that each ranked in the top four (4) in scoring offense and scoring defense during the NFL regular season. . .

(II) Historical Context: The Patriots will make their 12th Super Bowl appearance, the most of any NFL franchise - - On Sunday, New England can become the first team to win seven (7) Super Bowls and surpass the San Francisco 49ers (40 postseason wins) for the most wins by a franchise in NFL history. . .Meanwhile, the Seahawks, who will appear in the Super Bowl for the fourth time, can secure their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, having won Super Bowl XLVIII following the 2013 season (Seattle 43, Denver 8) - - **NOTE: New England and Seattle are the 10th pair of teams to meet in multiple Super Bowls, previously facing off in Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona following the 2014 season (Patriots 28, Seahawks 24) - - Super Bowl LX marks the 32nd consecutive season to feature a different Super Bowl matchup than the prior season - - New England can become the third team since the 2002 realignment to win the Super Bowl the season after finishing last in their division, joining the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles and the 2009 New Orleans Saints: After finishing with a 4-13 record in 2024, the Patriots are the fifth team to appear in the Super Bowl the season after winning fewer than five (5) games - - With New England and Seattle both advancing to Super Bowl LX, at least one team has advanced to the Super Bowl the season after missing the playoffs in six (6) of the past 10 seasons (2016-25). . .

(III) Coaching Staff: With Mike Vrabel in his first season as the Patriots HC, and Mike Macdonald, hired by the Seahawks in 2024, Super Bowl LX will mark the fourth Super Bowl ever between HCs, each within their first two seasons with a team - - **NOTE: Macdonald, who will be 38 years and 227 days old on Super Bowl Sunday, can become the third-youngest HC to win the Super Bowl, trailing only Sean McVay (36 years, 20 days in Super Bowl LVI) & Mike Tomlin (36 year, 323 days in Super Bowl XLIII) - and he can also become the first HC under the age of 40 to win 17 games in a season, including the playoffs, in NFL history - - Mike Vrabel, on the other hand, can become the first HC in NFL history to win a Super Bowl both as a player and as a coach with the same NFL franchise. . .

(IV) "The QBs:" New England QB Drake Maye, at 23 years and 162 days old, can become the youngest starting QB ever to win a Super Bowl, surpassing Ben Roethlisberger (23 years and 340 days old in Super Bowl XL) - - **NOTE: Maye can become the fifth QB ever to win a Super Bowl in his first or second season, joining Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, and Russell Wilson - - Seattle QB Sam Darnold can become the fourth QB ever to win a Super Bowl in his first season with a team, joining Tom Brady (Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay), Trent Dilfer (Super Bowl XXXV with Baltimore), and Matthew Stafford (Super Bowl LVI with Los Angeles). . .

(V) "The X-Factor?" Seattle WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba can become the fourth player to lead the NFL in receiving yards during the regular season & win the Super Bowl in the same year, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Drew Pearson (1977) and Jerry Rice (1989 & 1994) as well as Cooper Kupp (2021). . .

(VI) Predictions: **Be Sure to Tune in for JD & Spencer's predictions for Super Bowl LX/Share Your Super Bowl LX Picks & Predictions with us via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message to [email protected]!!. . .

- NBA - - "Reservations for the King:" For a 22nd straight year, LeBron James is an All-Star. . .The NBA announced its reserves for the Feb.15 All-Star Game Sunday night on NBC prior to James & the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden - - Voting was conducted by the league's coaches over the past week - - **NOTE: James, 41, was the last player announced, as the league's oldest player extended his record for both overall and consecutive selections by another season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on LeBron James being named a reserve for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?. . .Countdown to the NBA Trade Deadline: The Cleveland Cavaliers traded De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder & Keon Ellis, the team announced on Sunday - - The three-team deal included the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks - - The Memphis Grizzlies are trading for star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, Jock Landale, and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz for Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Georges Niang & three future first-round draft picks, sources reported to ESPN on Tuesday afternoon - - The Boston Celtics have acquired center Nikola Vucevic in a trade with the Chicago Bulls, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, adding some much-needed help to their frontcourt, and Boston will trade guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round draft pick to Chicago, sources told Charania. . ."The 'Land of Beard:" The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday evening - - In an eight-team NBA trade, the Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time NBA All-Star center Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday – Washington is the fourth NBA franchise for Davis throughout his NBA career: Dallas is receiving a 2026 Thunder first-round pick and a 2030 protected Warriors first-round pick in this deal from the Wizards along with second rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago) and 2029 (Houston), sources tell ESPN. . .The Philadelphia 76ers are trading guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks, sources informed ESPN on Wednesday afternoon. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 120 - "The Immaculate Reception Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: In the first part of this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss & analyze a few of the most notable games from Week 13 of the NCAA College Basketball season, that has occurred within the past week, beginning with a Big 12 Conference matchup between the unanimous No.1 team in this week's AP Top 25 Poll for a fifth straight week, the Arizona Wildcats, and the No.13 BYU Cougars: Guard Brayden Burries scored 29 points and made a game-saving block in the final seconds as top-ranked Arizona remained undefeated by holding off a furious rally from No.13 BYU for an 86-83 victory on Monday night - - PG Jaden Bradley added 26 points for the Wildcats (21-0, 8-0 Big 12), who has now matched the best start in program history - - Fellow freshman AJ Dybantsa led the Cougars (17-3, 5-2 Big 12) with 24 points but struggled, shooting 25% from the field and 1-of-8 from the 3-point line, while guards Richie Saunders & Kennard Davis Jr., contributed 18 and 17 points, respectively - - After trailing by 19 points midway through the second half, the Cougars were able to trim the deficit to one with a 12-2 run that began with just more than a minute left - as forward Keba Keita's putback dunk pulled the Cougars to within 84-83 with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation - and after which, the Cougars would force a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play: On the next play, BYU guard Robert Wright III drove toward the rim and wriggled free for what appeared to be a good look at the basket, but Wildcats guard Brayden Burries said "Nah!" - - Burries came flying over from the weak side to block Wright's shot from behind, and the freshman guard was able to grab the loose ball & converted two free throws prior to BYU missing on a long heave at the buzzer - - Burries finished the game 13-of-15 at the foul line, and added five rebounds, four assists & three steals for the Wildcats, who handed BYU its first home loss despite the Cougars finishing the game shooting 50% from long distance after the halftime break. . .Q: What are your thoughts on this Arizona Wildcat basketball team? What's it going to take for a team to pull off the upset over Tommy Lloyd's squad?. . ."Purdue University is Really Going Through it:"No.12 Purdue Boilermakers at Indiana Hoosiers - - Guard(s) Lamar Wilkerson had 19 points, Nick Dorn had 18, and Conor Enright scored five of his eight points in the final 1:11 to help Indiana complete the upset over No.12 Purdue 72-67 on Tuesday night - - The Hoosiers (14-7, 5-5 Big Ten) have now won two consecutive games, and this is, to date, the most impressive win under HC Darian DeVries - and it came in his first matchup against Indiana's bitter in-state rival - and on the same night that college football's new national champions, were honored during a pre-game ceremony, on the same court where Hoosiers football coach Curt Cignetti once proclaimed "Purdue sucks," - - **NOTE: Following their win on Tuesday night, the Hoosiers have defeated ranked Boilermakers teams in four of their last five matchups at home - - F/C Trey Kaufman-Renn led the Boilermakers (17-4, 7-3 Big Ten) with 23 points and senior guard Braden Smith added 14 points, five rebounds & five assists, but it just wasn't enough for Purdue to avoid extending their losing streak to a season-worst three games - - Purdue did not look like itself: Indiana negated the Boilermakers' perceived advantage in the post, outrebounding them 33-28 while only being outscored 24-18 in the paint, in a game that had all the elements of a rivalry. . .No.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers at No.3 Michigan Wolverines - - Guard Trey McKenney made a tiebreaking layup with 1:07 remaining as No.3 Michigan rallied past No.5 Nebraska 75-72 on Tuesday night to hand the Cornhuskers their first loss of the season (20-1, 9-1 Big Ten): Forward Morez Johnson Jr. had 17 points & 12 rebounds for the Wolverines (19-1, 9-1 Big Ten), who trailed for more than 36 minutes prior to holding Nebraska scoreless over the final 3:20 in regulation: Guard Jamarques Lawrence missed a 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining for the short-handed Cornhuskers, and guard Sam Hoiberg missed on a jumper just before the buzzer, as Nebraska played this game without F Rienk Mast (illness) and F Braden Frager (sprained ankle), who missed his second consecutive game - - **NOTE: Nebraska had won 24 straight games dating back to last season, including four victories in the inaugural College Basketball Crown Tournament in Las Vegas last April - - McKenney had 11 points off the bench for the Wolverines, while forwards Yaxel Lendeborg & Aday Mara both scored 10 points apiece, whereas the Huskers' Lawrence scored 16 of his 20 points in the opening 10 minutes of the game, and Pryce Sandfort also finished with 20 points for Nebraska, while Sam Hoiberg finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists & four steals - - Following the Cornhuskers' loss to Michigan on Tuesday night, there are only two unbeaten teams remaining in D-1 College Basketball: No.1 Arizona & No.24 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks. . .Q: At the halfway point of the NCAA College Basketball season, what team do you expect to win what is currently a "wide-open" Big Ten Conference title race?. . .

- NCAA College Football: In this week's "Tradition's Finest Top College Football Games of 2025," (aka Season Close-Out) segment, JD & Spencer discuss the current state of college football - both on & off the field - as well as the ramifications if some type of regulation is not introduced to the sport rather sooner than later - - The 2025 College Football season offered us: epic upsets, dynamite playoff games, iconic plays (i.e., you probably know exactly what we're referring to if we mention "Cooper's Catch," or the "Chambliss' Scramble," or "Mendoza's Leap,"), and our first incredible national title game in eight years. .and for that, we are forever grateful! - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer provide detailed analysis for a few of the most memorable and/or our favorite CFB games from the 2025 college football season (**Let us know your thoughts on the game(s) discussed within this episode, as well as 'honorable mentions,' that were not discussed - feel free to reach out to us via X/Twitter - @TraditionsFinest and/or send us a message to [email protected]!!). . .The College Football Playoff will remain a 12-team field next season (2026), the CFP's management committee announced last Friday afternoon - - The decision gives the CFP and Conference commissioners additional time to consider the playoff's expansion to possibly a 16- or 24-team format in the future, a move all sides of the discussion could not agree on at this time, with the biggest contention existing between the Big Ten and SEC Conference(s) on the immediate direction of the playoff: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has publicly supported a 16-team model, but Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti would agree to this particular model only if Sankey committed to a 24-team field after three years, sources told ESPN, however, multiple sources have stated that this is not something that Sankey was necessarily ready to commit too at this time - - This stalemate between the Big Ten and SEC Conferences, which has existed for months, will continue to be a topic of interest as it is believed by many, that, if Petitti can convince Sankey to agree to a 16-team model (and a 24-team model three years later), it's likely that Conference Championship games are out the window. . .Q: What are your thoughts on next year's College Football Playoff retaining the 12-team (or most current) format? Do you expect the SEC and Big Ten Conferences to end this stalemate regarding the structure of the playoff field?. . ."Do Not Tamper with Tigers:" Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney lambasted Ole Miss HC Pete Golding for allegedly making direct, repeated overtures to lure LB Luke Ferrelli into the NCAA transfer portal after he had already signed a contract & enrolled in classes at Clemson University, calling it a "straightforward case of tampering," and imploring his coaching colleagues to "be an example to young coaches in this profession and be people of integrity or shut your mouth and don't complain," - - Ferrelli, one of the country's top freshman defenders in 2025 at Cal, entered the portal in January, and Swinney detailed a two-week process that followed in which Ferrelli visited Ole Miss and Clemson, agreed to a revenue-sharing contract with the Tigers, rented an apartment, purchased a car, enrolled in & attended classes at the University, and begun offseason workouts there - - Poor Dabo, it seems as though, he did not receive the memo that explained that the NCAA does not penalize programs for "tampering," with athletes, who have already committed & signed with another program: this modern version of college sports is set up much like an Auction, with the player being purchased by the highest bidder. . .Q: What specific guardrails should the NCAA implement to prevent this type of blatant tampering from occurring throughout college sports, most notably college football?. . .Ohio State is finalizing a deal to make former Pittsburgh Steelers playcaller Arthur Smith it's OC, a source informed ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday - - Smith will replace Brian Hartline, who was recently named the HC at the University of South Florida (USF) - - Smith spent the past two seasons with the Steelers under HC Mike Tomlin, and prior to that, he was the HC for the Atlanta Falcons, compiling a record of 21-30 over three seasons, and he also held stints at the University of Georgia as well as Southern Miss - - This past season, under Smith, the Steelers ranked 15th in the NFL averaging 23.4 points per game, and while he will transition back to the college ranks, in Columbus, he will have one of the top returning offensive trios in the country at his disposal: QB Julian Sayin (a 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist), RB Bo Jackson (1,090 rushing yards in 2025 as a freshman), and WR Jeremiah Smith, who is a two-time All-American heading into his junior season. . .Q: What overall grade would you give to Ohio State's hire of former Steelers OC Arthur Smith to serve in the same role?. . ."A Settlement with the Devil[s]:" Darian Mensah and Duke University recently agreed to a settlement of their dispute that would clear the way for the QB to transfer to another program, his agency announced on Tuesday - - While playing for Duke, Mensah, who will have two more years of eligibility remaining, led the ACC Conference last season with 3,973 passing yards & 34 passing TDs, while also leading the Blue Devils to their first outright ACC title since 1962 - - Duke's leading WR, Cooper Barkate, also opted to enter the NCAA transfer portal at the Jan. 16 transfer portal window deadline: Barkate, who ranked second in the ACC Conference with 1,106 receiving yards & seven TDs in 2025, appeared to follow in Mensah's footsteps - - **UPDATE: Duke transfer QB Darian Mensah & WR Cooper Barkate have both committed to Miami, per On3's Pete Nakos on Tuesday evening - - as Mensah becomes the 3rd consecutive QB Mario Cristobal & the Hurricanes have signed in the previous three transfer portal cycles, as the program has landed arguably the top QB available in the transfer portal. . .Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how shocked are you by the most recent development that QB Darian Mensah has committed to the University of Miami?. . .

- NFL - - AFC & NFC Conference Championship Review & Analysis + 2026 NFL Honors The NFL Coaching Carousel Continues to Spin. . . **Be Sure to Tune In for This Week's NFL discussion. . .

- NBA - - "Chicago's Rose" & "Bucks No More" subject topics. . .**Tune in!!

- Miscellaneous - - A former Canadians Olympic snowboarder, Ryan Wedding, pled not guilty to running a billion-dollar drug trafficking ring, orchestrating multiple killings (retaliation & a witness), and conspiring to distribute cocaine and other crimes in a U.S. federal court on Monday after being extradited to the U.S. from Mexico - - Authorities say Wedding moved as much as 60 tons of coacine between Colombia, Mexico, Canada & Southern California (U.S.) & believe he was working under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico's most powerful drug rings - - His drug trafficking group was the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada, according to a 2024 indictment in his home country, where he faces separate drug charges dating back to 2015. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 119 - The inVINCEible Bowl Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: It has been our intention to discuss and/or cover NCAA Men's College Basketball in some capacity since the beginning of the 2025-26 College Basketball season, however, and due to multiple factors, we have not dove into the sport near as much as we preferred. . .But, do we have some fantastic news for you Round-ball fans, this week's episode features a discussion and/or Week 11 update; such topics as the following are discussed in this particular segment: (I) the dominance of the Arizona Wildcats (18-0) & being ranked the unanimous No.1 team in Monday's AP Top 25 poll for the first time in program history, receiving all 61 votes, just a week after picking up all but one first-place votes (60); (II) the rise & fall of the Iowa State Cyclones; (III) a few other notable programs that are making waves thru Week 11 of the regular season (i.e., No.7 Nebraska (18-0), No.24 Saint Louis (17-1) & No.25 Miami (Ohio)); (IV) the "Rising/Falling" programs of the AP Top 25 (i.e., No.18 Clemson - ⬆️ four spots; No.12 Texas Tech - ⬆️ three spots; No.22 North Carolina - ⬇️ eight spots after losses last week to Stanford & Cal; No.9 Iowa State ⬇️ seven spots after losses to unranked Kansas & Cincinnati; No.15 Vanderbilt - ⬇️ five spots after losses to Texas & No.16 Florida); and (V) those programs that are "In & Out" of this week's updated poll rankings - A "Welcome Back" to No.19 Kansas, First Timers Saint Louis & Miami (Ohio) & So Long Goodbye to Tennessee (⬇️ from No.24 after blowing a 17-point lead versus Kentucky last week; Utah State (⬇️ from No.23 after suffering loss on the road to Grand Canyon); and Seton Hall (⬇️ from No.25 after suffering back-to-back losses to UConn and Butler). . .In a case that could potentially reshape college basketball & college sports in general, former Alabama standout/center Charles Bediako - who entered the 2023 NBA Draft and he went on to sign a two-way NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs later that same year - has been granted a temporary restraining order (or a TRO) to return to the team and college basketball immediately, a Tuscaloosa County (AL) judge ruled early Wednesday morning — Bediako, who has played in the G-League for the previous two seasons, went undrafted & never appeared in an NBA game after he played on two NCAA Tournament teams while enrolled at the University of Alabama (i.e., 2020-21 & 2022-23), filed a lawsuit to sue the NCAA a day prior after it denied the school's appeal to allow him to return to the sport, citing the similar situation with James Nnaji & Baylor University — **NOTE: This is the first time a player who entered an NBA draft and signed a contract after playing college basketball has been given the chance to return to Division I college basketball. . .and it's reception has been met with much controversy and speculation — The Tuscaloosa Co. (AL) judge's monumental ruling was made just hours after NCAA President Charlie Baker reiterated that Bediako and other players who have signed NBA contracts would not be granted eligibility to play college basketball — Based on the NCAA's five-year window, Bediako can join the Nate Oats & the Crimson Tide for the rest of the regular season - depending on what happens at his next hearing - before his eligibility is exhausted — Bediako will join a Crimson Tide basketball team as it wades through its' defensive struggles (i.e., currently ranks 67th in adjusted defensive efficiency) as Alabama is scheduled to face off against the Tennessee Volunteers in Tuscaloosa on Saturday - and the question on everyone's mind: Will Charles Bediako suit up for the Crimson Tide on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum. . .Q: What do you think: Is there a chance that Charles Bediako will actually see the court against Tennessee on Saturday? Or at any point throughout the remainder of the 2025-26 NCAA college basketball regular season?. . .

- NCAA College Football: It should come as little surprise that DI college football is experiencing similar issues as that of college basketball. . .Let's discuss the situation and controversy surrounding Duke QB Darian Mensah: While approximately 4,500 college football players were just waiting around for the NCAA transfer portal to open where they could make their entry & state their claim at a new program the following season, QB Darian Mensah, who led the ACC Conference in passing yards (3,973) this season as well as led the Duke Blue Devils to play the role of CFP spoiler after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC Conference Championship Game, had made the decision on Dec. 19th to return for the Blue Devils as a redshirt junior next season after exploring the possibility of entering the 2026 NFL Draft (he was rated as the No.5 QB on Mel Kiper Jr.'s QB ranking board for the 2026 NFL Draft prior to his decision) — Fast forward to Friday, Jan.16th (2026), Duke QB Darian Mensah, who has two years of eligibility remaining after playing for Tulane prior to his one season at Duke, had changed his mind, and decided to submit his request for transfer paperwork, ahead of the 12:00 p.m. ET deadline for FBS and FCS players to enter the NCAA transfer portal. . .Tampering, much?. . .Miami looms as the expected favorite to land Mensah when he officially becomes available - as the Hurricanes have signed transfer QBs in consecutive seasons (i.e., Cam Ward & Carson Beck) - and did not land a QB out of the two-week transfer portal window that opened on Jan. 2nd -- Per On3, Duke has filed a lawsuit, thus suing Darian Mensah, claiming that he breached a multiyear NIL contract that was scheduled to end on Dec. 31st, 2026, and furthermore, Mensah is permitted to enter the transfer portal, but he can't enroll or play college football for another program prior to the Durham (N.C.) County judge rules on Duke's request for an injunction that would prevent him from leaving. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the multiple reports that Darian Mensah "changed his mind," thus making the decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal after committing to return to Duke next season? Do you suspect that there are any programs out there tampering with the Duke QB? Is there a legit possibility that QB Darian Mensah is forced to sit out the entire 2026-27 NCAA college football season after attempting to breach his contract with Duke University? . .2026 NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship Game Review: To understand just how improbable the Indiana Hoosiers' 16-0 "perfect" season was punctuated by its' gritty 27-21 win against the Miami Hurricanes on Monday night in front of a crowd of 67,000-plus fans, with the majority clad in cream & crimson, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a somewhat brief history lesson is required: **NOTE: The University of Indiana college football program had lost 715 games, now the second-most in FBS history, just one behind Northwestern - - but with one thrilling victory in Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship - a seesaw game that went down to the wire, with the Hoosiers ultimately leaving Miami with no doubt: they are the 'top dogs' of college football, and they accomplished that feat by completing one of the most remarkable two-year turnarounds in the history of the sport — Though there is sure to be much debate as to where this 2026 Indiana Hoosiers team stacks up against the sport's elite, including the 2021 Miami Hurricanes, 2019 LSU Tigers & 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide, the simple fact is this: Nothing like this has ever been done before. . .and by "this," we mean a HC lead a program once considered the "armpit of college football," to the promise land with unheralded recruits, many of which transferred to Indiana along with their head coach, Curt Cignetti. . .Q: Where does this 2026 Indiana Hoosiers team stack up against the rest of the pack for the 'GOAT' of D-I college football? — The Hoosiers' Heisman Trophy-winning QB, Fernando Mendoza - who will most likely and is projected to become the No.1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft - led Indiana to a national championship. . .and he did so by willing himself 12 yards into the end zone on a pivotal 4th-and-4 play with 9:18 remaining to give the Hoosiers a 24-14 lead over the Hurricanes — Mendoza, who completed 16 of 27 passing for 186 yards with no passing TDs or INTs, lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to maintain his balance, then launched himself horizontally and reached the ball over the goal line - an Indiana TD and a ready-made poster for a CFP national title run straight from a major motion picture. . .**NOTE: Prior to Mendoza, the last college football player to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season was Alabama WR DeVonta Smith in 2020 — and yet Indiana's 12-play, 75-yard drive ended with a jaw-dropping fourth-down rushing TD by a Hoosier, who grew up in Miami, that was never recruited by the 'Canes. . ."A Legend in the Making:" Indiana HC Curt Cignetti now has an FBS-best 27-2 overall record over the past two seasons after the Hoosiers went 9-27 in its final three seasons prior to Cignetti being hired — He has led the Hoosiers to their first two 10-win seasons in program history - as Indiana joined the 1984 Yale University football team as the only two programs in major college football history to finish a season with a 16-0 record — In such a tight game, Cignetti & the Hoosiers needed more than another Omar Cooper last-second TD or Heisman moment from Mendoza to pull off this gritty win: With 44 seconds left in regulation, and on the last play of Miami QB Carson Beck's collegiate career, he threw a deep ball down the left sideline & into double coverage, and it was intercepted by Indiana's Jamari Sharpe, stifling the 'Canes final attempt at a comeback & sealing Indiana's 27-21 win in the National Championship Game on Monday night - Beck finished the game with 232 yards passing & one TD in his final college game — With 5:04 left in the 3rd QTR, Indiana DL Mikail Kamara made a massive play on special teams: he blocked a Miami punt with his left hand and LB Isiah Jones recovered the ball in the end zone for a TD, giving the Hoosiers a 17-7 lead at the time — The Hoosiers entered Monday night's game having outscored opponents by 473 points this season, but the Miami Hurricanes proved that "The U" is back: With 6:37 left, the Hurricanes closed the gap to 24-21 with an eight-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard TD pass from Beck to star WR Malachi Toney - - Miami RB Mark Fletcher Jr. also played a great game, as he scored on a 57-yard rushing TD with 11:06 left in the 3rd QTR, which at the moment closed the gap to 10-7 — Miami's defense, led by DE Rueben Bain Jr., was aggressive early, applying much pressure on QB Fernando Mendoza, and forcing him to escape the pocket, and even laying a hit on him that led to a bloody lip - - There was one call that changed this game early as Bain made one critical mistake when he jumped offside on a critical 3rd-and-13 situation at midfield in the 2nd QTR - and on the following play, Indiana RB Kaelon Black rushed up the middle for a 20-yard gain & a first down at the Miami 23-yard line -- **NOTE: The 'Canes entered Monday night averaging seven (7) penalties accepted against them per game, which ranked 104th in the FBS - - For all of the attention surrounding Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers defense was equally as impressive in the first half, holding Miami to a total of 69 yards, the fewest by a team in the first half of a CFP championship game - and meanwhile, Miami's offense at times struggled to move the ball a yard, as the 'Canes offensive line, which had a size advantage of 53 lbs per player, was being outplayed, and QB Carson Beck became visibly frustrated by the harassing Indiana defense, until they converted on a 4th-and-1 play - - **NOTE: Indiana's win was also a major victory for the Big Ten Conference, as it was the first time since 1940-42, that teams from the conference won three straight national titles. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Indiana Hoosiers finishing the 2025-26 season with a perfect 16-0 record, and winning a national championship? Despite the tough loss, is it safe to say that "The U" is officially back?. . .

- 2026 College Football Transfer Portal Tracker: In this particular segment, JD and Spencer discuss many of the notable transfer(s) that occurred throughout two-week portal window; the following players are mentioned in this episode (**Tune in for more details!)

Oklahoma/NC State RB Hollywood Smothers --> Alabama --> _________________

Auburn WR Cam Coleman --> __________________

Auburn QB Deuce Knight --> __________________

Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola --> __________________

Miami/Alabama WR Isaiah "Zay" Horton --> _________________

Texas RB Cedric Baxter Jr. --> _______________________

Alabama/Tulane WR Shazz Preston --> _____________________

Alabama EDGE Keon Keeley --> _______________________

NC State WR Noah Rogers --> ________________________

Alabama DL James Smith + EDGE Qua Russaw --> _______________________

Auburn WR Malcolm Simmons --> __________________________

Alabama/Michigan RB Justice Haynes --> _______________________

Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt --> __________________________

LSU/Auburn/Texas State/Tulane/Western Kentucky/Georgia State QB TJ Finley --> _________________ (**NOTE: No, this not a joke, Finley is transferring to his seventh program of his collegiate career). . .Q: What are your thoughts on TJ Finley transferring to a record seventh program?. . .

Penn State/Missouri QB Beau Pribula --> ______________________

USC QB Husan Longstreet --> _______________________

Ole Miss EDGE Princewill Umanmielen --> _____________________

- NFL - - 2026 NFL Divisional Playoffs Round Review/Breakdown: In this week's NFL Playoffs Round Review, JD and Spencer will analyze, review & breakdown each of the following divisional round games below - as well as discuss the major storylines surrounding each game:

AFC Divisional Playoff Game #1: No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.1 Denver Broncos (**Controversial officiating?/Broncos suffer enormous loss). . .

NFC Divisional Playoff Game #1: No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (**Seahawks lose their leading TD scorer). . .

AFC Divisional Playoff Game #2: No.5 Houston Texans at No.2 New England Patriots (**Eight (8) combined turnovers - the most in a playoff game since 2015). . .

NFC Divisional Playoff Game #2: No.5 Los Angeles Rams at No.2 Chicago Bears (**QB Caleb Williams' unbelievable TD pass at the end of regulation/QB Matthew Stafford, the NFL MVP?). . .

- 2026 NFL Playoffs Conference Championship Round Preview & Predictions: In this segment, JD and Spencer preview both the AFC & NFC Conference Championship game(s) from this upcoming weekend; they also provide their individual, independent predictions for each of the following games: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!

AFC Championship Game: No.2 New England Patriots (14-3) at No.1 Denver Broncos (14-3) O/U41.5

NFC Championship Game: No.5 Los Angeles Rams (12-5) at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3) O/U47.5

- NFL (cont'd) - - Following the New York Giants' grab of former Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh, the second hire of the current NFL coaching cycle is official: The Atlanta Falcons hired former Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski as their next HC in Matt Ryan's first move as the team's President, the team announced Saturday night -- The Browns fired Stefanski after six seasons with the team, finishing with an overall record of 46-58, and he also led the Browns to two playoff appearances & earned two NFL Coach of the Year Awards -- **NOTE: Atlanta has not had a winning season since 2017, finishing 10-6 that year and being eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs -- Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski will keep incumbent DC Jeff Ulbrich in his role, the team announced Monday. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Falcons' hire of former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski as well as his decision to retain DC Jeff Ulbrich?. . .The Miami Dolphins have hired Green Bay Packers DC Jeff Hafley as their next HC, it was announced on Monday night -- Hafley was signed to a five-year contract with the Dolphins after spending the previous two seasons as the Packers' DC, during which Green Bay ranked 9th in yards allowed per game, 6th in yards per play and 8th in points allowed per game -- Hafley was also the head coach at Boston College, where he went 22-26 in four seasons -- **NOTE: The Dolphins have not won a playoff game in 25 seasons, the longest such drought in the NFL, and Jeff Hafley, 46, is the 8th straight HC hired by Miami who had no previous NFL head coaching experience, according to ESPN Research. . .The Tennessee Titans are hiring San Francisco 49ers DC Robert Saleh as their next HC, sources confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday night -- In his second stint as a head coach after serving as the New York Jets HC from 2021 to 2024, Saleh is set to become the 20th HC in Oilers/Titans history and the seventh since the team moved/relocated to Nashville in 1997 -- **NOTE: The Titans have not made the playoffs since 2021 when they were the AFC's top seed and lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round under former HC Mike Vrabel. . .

- NBA - - "King James Aversion:"The NBA announced its starters for next month's All-Star Game on Monday - and, for the first time in a generation, Los Angeles Lakers star F LeBron James was not listed among them -- Per The Bleacher Report, for the first time in 21 years, James was NOT voted as an All-Star Game starter -- **Tune in for more details regarding the starters. . .Golden State Warriors G/F Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn right ACL in Monday night's 135-112 win over the Miami Heat, his agent told ESPN, effectively throwing the future direction of the franchise into question -- The injury comes as the surging Warriors (25-19) have won 12 of their past 16 games, beginning a climb back up the standings due in part to Butler's performance this season. . .Q: Will Jimmy Butler return to the Golden State Warriors next season or play elsewhere?. . .

- MLB - - The CF roster of the Baseball Hall of Fame grew deeper Tuesday with the announcement that Carlos Beltran & Andruw Jones were selected for induction -- Beltran was elected in his fourth year of eligibility after being named on 84.2% of the BBWAA ballots, easily clearing the 75% threshold for enshrinement, while Jones was named on 78.4% of the ballots, just clearing the bar to earn election in his ninth and second-to-last year of eligibility -- Beltran & Jones join Jeff Kent, who was elected back in December 2025 in the contemporary era committee voting, in the HOF Class of 2026 -- **NOTE: Beltran, a nine-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, is one of four MLB players to reach 2,700 hits, 400 homers, 1,500 runs and 300 steals, joining Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez -- Jones, who finished his MLB career as a 10-time Gold Glove winner with 434 HRs, burst onto the scene in 2006, when at age 19 he homered in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series for the Atlanta Braves against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones being elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 118.5 - "The Heidi Game Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - 2025-26 NCAA College Football Playoff Quarterfinal/Semifinal Round Catchup & National Championship Game Preview & Predictions Segment:

No.10 Miami Hurricanes vs. No.1 Indiana Hoosiers (-8.5) O/U47.5

- "NFL > NIL:" Massive NIL offers from others schools couldn't delay QB Ty Simpson's NFL dreams, he told ON3 on Tuesday evening - Per multiple reports, Simpson rejected millions in NIL deals from programs, such as Tennessee & Ole Miss - who were offering an NIL deal worth $4M - as well as Miami, who upped the NIL offer to approximately $6.5M. . ."Everybody would just remember me as the guy who took all this money and went to Miami or Tennessee for his last year. But I was a captain [at Alabama]. I put my hand and footprints in the cement at Denny Chimes. I would have lost everything that I built at Alabama," per Ty Simpson on his decision to reject the NIL deals to remain the 2026 NFL Draft. . .Q: Where are other "Ty Simpson's" of college football with this level of loyalty? What are your thoughts on Ty Simpson rejecting millions of dollars in NIL deals for the 2026 NFL Draft?. . .As Wednesday was the official deadline for underclassmen not playing in the College Football Playoff championship game to declare for the NFL Draft, a decision loomed over Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore -- On Wednesday per ESPN's "SportsCenter," Moore announced his decision: he has decided to return to school for the 2026 season -- By going back to Oregon, Moore gave up a chance to make nearly $50 million in guaranteed money (i.e., 2025 No.2 pick Travis Hunter made $46.65 million fully guaranteed and that number projects to go up this year) -- By returning to Oregon, Moore gave up a chance to be one of the top overall picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, however, it's presumed that he will project near the top of a loaded QB class for 2027. . .Moore's return makes Oregon one of the favorites for the College Football national title in 2026-27 - - as the Ducks also retained multiple key pieces on the defensive line and a strong nucleus of young WRs & tailbacks -- In his first season as the Ducks' starter, Moore threw for 3,656 yards passing and 30 TDs for the Ducks, and he also completed 71.8% of his passes and threw just 10 INTs -- Moore's decision also comes after former Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola announced that he would be transferring to Oregon, and TE Kenyon Sadiq & safety Dillon Thieneman are a few Oregon players to have declared for the NFL Draft -- Raiold is expected to serve as Moore's backup QB for the 2026 season, after which point, he potentially could be named the Ducks' starter. . .QB: Do you believe that Dante Moore, 20, made the right decision to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return to the University of Oregon next season?. . .

- NFL - - 2026 NFL Playoff Wild-Card Round Review: In the following segment, JD & Spencer provide in-depth analysis & breakdown each of the NFL Playoffs Wild-Card Round games from the past weekend as well as discuss many of the notable storylines surrounding each of the games; the following NFL games from the NFC and AFC are discussed within this segment:

No.5 Los Angeles Rams at No.4 Carolina Panthers

No.7 Green Bay Packers at No.2 Chicago Bears

No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.3 Philadelphia Eagles

No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.3 Jacksonville Jaguars

No.7 Los Angeles Chargers at No.2 New England Patriots

No.5 Houston Texans at No.4 Pittsburgh Steelers

- NFL (cont'd) - - "Mike T. Out, Mic Drop:" Mike Tomlin has stepped down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending a 19-year run with the franchise -- Tomlin, who had two years remaining on his contract, informed Steelers' players of his decision to walk away at their 2 p.m. ET meeting Tuesday, one day after Pittsburgh was eliminated from the playoffs with a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round -- Tomlin, 53, is not expected to coach elsewhere in 2026, sources informed ESPN's Adam Schefter -- Tomlin leaves Pittsburgh with the unprecedented accomplishment of never having a losing season in nearly two decades at the helm of the franchise -- he clinched his 200th career NFL victory in Week 16 against the Lions and tied Chuck Noll for ninth with 193 regular-season wins in a Week 18 victory against the Ravens that clinched the AFC North title -- At age 36, he led the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XLIII in his second season and, at the time, was the youngest HC to raise the Lombardi Trophy, and he returned to the Super Bowl a year later but fell to QB Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers - and Tomlin never made it back in his final 15 seasons as HC. . .For all his accomplishments, Tomlin ended his historic tenure in Pittsburgh with an frustrating nine-year postseason victory drought -- Marked by improbable wins and hard-to-fathom losses, Tomlin's final season was a microcosm of his nearly two-decade tenure in Pittsburgh -- With Tomlin's departure, the Steelers will begin the search for just their fourth HC since 1969. . .**NOTE: Prior to his resignation, Tomlin was the longest-tenured HC of a single North American professional sports franchise -- Tomlin's record over 19 seasons with the Steelers: 193-114-2. . .Q: What are a few potential candidates that Art Rooney & the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise should consider to interview as Mike Tomlin's replacement?. . .John Harbaugh and the New York Giants have finalized an agreement to make him their next HC, reportedly signing a five-year deal worth approximately $100 million -- Harbaugh, 63, spent the past 18 seasons as HC of the Baltimore Ravens, going 180-113 and winning the Super Bowl before he was firest last week after missing out on the 2025 NFL Playoffs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Giants' hire of John Harbaugh as their new HC?. . .2026 NFL Playoff Divisional Round Predictions: In this segment, JD & Spencer each give their indiviual & independent predictions for each of the following NFL Playoff Divisional Round games scheduled to occur this upcoming weekend:

No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (-7) O/U44.5

No.5 Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) at No.2 Chicago Bears O/U48.5

No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.1 Denver Broncos (-1.5) O/U45.5

No.5 Houston Texans at No.2 New England Patriots (-3) O/U40.5

- NBA - - "The Beard Riseth:" In his 17th season, James Harden passed Shaquille O'Neal for ninth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list - - as the LA Clippers guard made a three-pointer early in the 3rd QTR Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA, pushing his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular-season game -- Shaq finished his NBA career with 28,596 points in 1,207 games played over 19 seasons - as Harden called it a "true honor," and a "testament to the work that I put in,"-- Harden faces a steep climb to the next spot: Wilt Chamberlain is eighth with 31,419 points, in just 1,045 games over a 14-year career, while LeBron James is the all-time leader with 42,601 points entering his game with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. . .Q: How many more seasons do you anticipate James "The Beard" Harden playing in the league beyond the 2025-26 NBA season? If he elected to play two to three seasons, do you think "The Beard" passes "Mr. 100" for 8th on the NBA's all-time scoring list?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 117 - "The A-Gap Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - "A Final Challenge:" Following the previous two scandals in Ann Arbor, most recently, a scandal that would embroil the Wolverines athletic department, and eventually lead to Sherrone Moore being fired after just two seasons with the program, the University of Michigan needed a stabilizing force to help bring both its embattled football program & the athletic department back to a level of respectability among its peers - - And when looking around the market, there were very few obvious prospects available: Alabama's Kalen DeBoer & Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham both publicly announced they were returning, while Louisville's Jeff Brohm was not seriously involved in the process, according to multiple sources - and several others, such as Vanderbilt's Clark Lea & BYU's Kalani Sitake, signed long-term extensions prior to Michigan's head coaching vacancy - - On Friday, Michigan took the first step in doing so: By hiring future Hall of Famer Kyle Whittingham as the program's 22nd head football coach - - Whittingham, 66, is one of the most successful coaches of this era: Whittingham has a 177-88 career record, two Pac-12 Conference titles & a Mountain West crown as the HC at the University of Utah, where he had spent the last 21 seasons - - Per ESPN's Pete Thamel & Dan Wetzel, Whittingham's deal, which is reportedly 75% guaranteed, is comprised of a five-year deal with an average salary of $8.2 million per year - - Beyond his accomplishments, and perhaps most important, Whittingham has maintained a spotless reputation throughout his standout career, with his teams featuring very few (if any) scandals, and a strong team culture - - Now, at Michigan, Whittingham will have more resources to win than in any other moment in his legendary career - - Granted, Whittingham's age is a considerable topic of conversation as it should be, but there is very little debate that this hire was a short-term decision - - Whittingham informed his Utah team on Friday that he will not coach the team in their upcoming SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year's Eve, and Utah AD Mark Harlan relieved Whittingham of his duties, to allow him to travel to Orlando, FL, to get to work as the HC for the Michigan Wolverines. . .**NOTE: The No.18 Michigan Wolverines are scheduled to face off against the No.13 Texas Longhorns in Orlando on New Year's Eve in the 2026 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl - - However, three of the last four HCs at Michigan failed to make it through four full seasons - - Q: What are your thoughts on Michigan's hiring of former Utah HC Kyle Whittingham as the Wolverines' 22nd head football coach? Do you believe that Kyle Whittingham can lead Michigan to another national title?. . . NCAA College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Round Preview & Analysis: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & provide a thorough breakdown/analysis from the four matchups from the Quarterfinal Round of the 2025 College Football Playoff - - Be sure to tune in for an brief discussion of the following CFP second round game(s):

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No.10 Miami Hurricanes vs. No.2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-9.5)         O/U42.5

Capital One Orange Bowl: No.5 Oregon Ducks (-2.5) vs. No.4 Texas Tech Red Raiders          O/U52.5

Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential: No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No.1 Indiana Hoosiers (-7)      O/U47.5

Allstate Sugar Bowl: No.6 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No.3 Georgia Bulldogs (-6.5)                 O/U55.5

- NCAA College Football Bowl Week #4 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #4 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the fourth week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!

ReliaQuest Bowl: No.23 Iowa vs. No.14 Vanderbilt(-4)              O/U46.5

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Arizona State vs. Duke (-3)                O/U49.5

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: No.18 Michigan vs. No.13 Texas (-7.5)          O/U47.5

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: No.14 Utah (-14) vs. Nebraska       O/U50.5

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Rice vs. Texas State (-13.5)     O/U58.5

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Navy (-7) vs. Cincinnati                O/U54.5

Duke's Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State (-3)            O/U53.5

Trust & Will Holiday Bowl: No.17 Arizona (-3) vs. SMU          O/U51.5

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 116 - The One-Hundred Six-teenth Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Playoff First Round Review & Analysis: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & provide a thorough breakdown/analysis from the four first-round matchups of the 2025 College Football Playoff - - Be sure to tune in for an brief recap & discussion of the following CFP first-round game(s):

No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.8 Oklahoma Sooners

No.10 Miami Hurricanes at No.7 Texas A&M Aggies

No.11 Tulane Green Wave at No.6 Ole Miss Rebels

No.12 James Madison Dukes at No.5 Oregon Ducks

- NCAA College Football Bowl Week #3 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #3 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the third week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!

GameAbove Sports Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Northwestern (-10.5)      O/U43.5

Rate Bowl: New Mexico vs. Minnesota (-2.5)                         O/U44.5

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: FIU vs. UTSA (-6)                    O/U59.5

Go Bowling Military Bowl: Pittsburgh (-10) vs. East Carolina            O/U56.5

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Clemson (-3)           O/U48.5

Wasabi Fenway Bowl: UConn vs. Army (-8.5)                      O/U43.5

Pop-Tarts Bowl: No.22 Georgia Tech vs. No.12 BYU (-4.5)                O/U56.5

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State (-6)           O/U41.5

Isleta New Mexico Bowl: No.25 North Texas (-3) vs. San Diego State      O/U53.5

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: No.19 Virginia vs. Missouri (-4)               O/U44.5

Kinder's Texas Bowl: No.21 Houston (-3) vs. LSU                   O/U41.5

JLab Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern (-7) vs. Appalachian State      O/U59.5

Radiance Tech. Independence Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech (-9.5) O/U51.5

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl: Tennessee (-2.5) vs. Illinois         O/U61.5

Valero Alamo Bowl: No.16 USC (-6.5) vs. TCU                   O/U55.5

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 115 - The "Music City Miracle" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - 2025 NCAA College Basketball [Better Late Than Never] Season Preview: In this opening segment, JD & Spencer preview & analyze the 2025-26 NCAA Division I College Basketball Season, in particular focusing on the Power 5 Conferences (i.e., Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, ACC & SEC) and providing a thorough breakdown of each individual conference as well as projecting which program(s) will go on to be crowned conference champions & how many teams per conference they expect to advance to the 64-team field of this year's NCAA Tournament. . .NCAA College Football: "Ridin' Into the Sunset on His Harley:" Kyle Whittingham,66, the all-time winningest HC in the history of the University of Utah's football program, will step down from leading the Utes and will conclude his highly successful tenure in the Las Vegas Bowl against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Dec. 31st - - Whittingham, the head football coach at the University of Utah since 2004, has been the true embodiment of the culture & identity of Utah Football for the past three decades, led Utah to two Rose Bowl appearances, three conference championships, an undefeated season capped by a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama in 2008 - - In his 32 seasons in Salt Lake City, Whittingham has coached in 391 games and contributed to a program-record 262 wins, with a head coaching record of 177-88 (.668) - - Whittingham, the second-longest tenured HC in FBS college football, he has earned three National Coach of the Year awards, including the AFCA and Bear Bryant Awards in 2008, and the Dodd Trophy in 2019 - - Following the Utes' appearance in the 2025 Las Vegas Bowl, Whittingham will be formally replaced by Utes DC Morgan Scalley, who has finalized a deal to become the program's next head coach, sources told ESPN - - Q: What are your thoughts on Kyle Whittingham stepping down as the HC at the University of Utah following a 21-year run? Do you expect Kyle Whittingham to coach elsewhere or to 'ride off into the sunset' on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle? What are your thoughts on Utah DC Morgan Scalley being promoted as Whittingham's successor?. . .Washington State & Missouri OC Kirby Moore have finalized a deal to make him the Cougars' next HC - - Moore, aged 35, a native of Prosser, WA, and the younger brother of New Orleans Saints HC Kellen Moore, he spent the past three seasons at the University of Missouri on Eliah Drinkwitz's staff - - Replacing Jimmy Rogers, who left to become the head football coach for the Iowa State Cyclones, the Cougars are 6-6 this year with one-score losses to Ole Miss (No.6 in the CFP bracket), Virginia (ACC runner-up) & James Madison (No.12 in the CFP bracket) - - Q: What are your thoughts on Washington State's hiring of Missouri OC Kirby Moore as the program's next HC?. . .2025 College Football Awards: Numerous college football players & coaches received individual accolades on Friday night at an Awards Ceremony in New York City for their efforts throughout the 2025-26 college football season, and JD & Spencer discuss the winners of a select few of the following collegiate awards presented on Friday night:

John Mackey Award (best TE): Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Doak Walker Award (best RB): Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Davey O'Brien National QB Award (best signal-caller): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Maxwell Award (player of the year): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Biletnikoff Award (best WR): Makai Lemon, USC

Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award: Curt Cignetti, Indiana (**first repeat winner in 59 years)

Heisman Trophy (most prestigious award/the sport's highest individual honor): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (**first Indiana player in program history to win the Heisman Trophy)

- NCAA College Football Week Sixteen Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & each provide their individual takeaway from the single game that Week Sixteen had to offer - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap & discussion of the following Week Sixteen matchup:

"Battle for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy:" Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen

- NCAA College Football Bowl Week #2 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #2 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the second week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (-4)   O/U49.5

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Memphis vs. NC State (-5.5)   O/U57.5

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State vs. Utah State (-3)     O/U52.5

Bush's Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo vs. Louisville (-8.5)           O/U44.5

New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky (-9.5) vs. Southern Miss       O/U55.5

Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl: UNLV (-4) vs. Ohio                    O/U62.5

Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl: Cal (-1.5) vs. Hawai'i                 O/U54.5

- NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Preview: In this segment, JD & Spencer will preview each of the four upcoming CFP game(s) & will provide their individual/independent predictions for each outcome; the following CFP first-round matchup(s) are previewed in this particular segment:

Friday, Dec. 19th at 7:00PM CST/8:00PM EST:

No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide (-1.5) at No.8 Oklahoma           O/U40.5

**The winner will advance to face No.1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1st.

Saturday, Dec. 20th at 7:00PM CST/8:00PM EST:

No.10 Miami Hurricanes at No.7 Texas A&M Aggies (-3)         O/U51.5

**The winner will advance to face No.2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31st.

No.11 Tulane Green Wave at No.6 Ole Miss Rebels (-17.5)        O/U56.5

**The winner will advance to face No.3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1st.

No.12 James Madison Dukes at No.5 Oregon Ducks (-21)        O/U48.5

**The winner will advance to face No.4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1st.

- NFL - - NFL Week 15 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games & major storylines from Week 15 of the regular season:

Thursday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (**Falcons overcame 19 penalties & a 28-14 4th-QTR deficit to damage Tampa Bay's postseason hopes)

Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams (**Rams clinch playoff berth for the third straight season after rallying in the second half)

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (**Bills rally from a 21-0 deficit to prevent the Patriots from clinching the AFC East division title)

Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (**Chiefs' two-time MVP QB Patrick Mahomes sustains torn ACL in left knee (out for the remainder of the season) & Kansas City were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014)

Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos (**Packers star edge rusher Micah Parsons suffers a non-contact injury/torn ACL (out for season)/Broncos extend winning streak to 11 games & clinch playoff berth)

"A Jaguar on the Prowl:" Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence accounted for six TDs, including a career-high five passing, becoming just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to record five passing TDs and one rushing TD in a single game - as Jacksonville overwhelmed the New York Jets from start to finish in a 48-20 drubbing on Sunday to extend their winning streak to five games. . .

. . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy, who broke free on a goal-line bootleg run in the 2nd QTR with nothing but the end zone in front of him, he slowed down. . .Holding the ball low as he crossed the goal line, McCarthy appeared to be performing a modified "Griddy" dance, which was made popular by Vikings teammate/star WR Justin Jefferson - - While praising McCarthy's performance after he threw for a career-high 250 passing yards, Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell made it very clear at the postgame press conference that he did not approve of the celebration - - And McCarthy, who has endured heavy criticism throughout his first season as a starter, said that he had been warned prior to the game to "avoid" the celebration. . .Q: Do you think there is some friction brewing in Minnesota between HC Kevin O'Connell & [rookie] QB J.J. McCarthy, or is this just a "minor bump" in the road for a young QB still adjusting to playing in the NFL?. . .

- NFL (cont'd) - - After Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said on Tuesday that he was contemplating making a change at the QB position, he finally made a move: The Miami Dolphins announced on Wednesday that it is benching QB Tua Tagovailoa and turning to rookie QB Quinn Ewers, per sources to ESPN's Adam Schefter - - Tagovailoa threw his NFL-worst 15th INT in the Dolphins' 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, which eliminated Miami (6-8) from playoff contention - - Ewers' first start will come on Sunday against Joe Burrow & the Cincinnati Bengals. . .Q: Do you expect for Miami to cut/release QB Tua Tagovailoa at the end of the NFL regular season after signing him to a four-year, $212.1 million extension in 2024? What about HC Mike McDaniel - is he more likely to be the Dolphins' HC next season or to coach elsewhere?. .

- Miscellaneous - - WWE: Pro wrestling superstar, John Cena, ended his 24-year WWE tenure at Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C last Saturday night - by doing what he hadn't done in more than twenty years: he tapped out. . .as Cena submitted to former two-time WWE heavyweight champion Gunther at "Saturday Night's Main Event" in a stellar final match that had the crowd hanging on to every moment, hoping that Cena would go out/retire with a win - - Instead, Cena's tap-out signaled to fans that his time is finally over, and that he is going out on his own terms - - Cena, who became one of the most beloved wrestlers on the WWE roster & a 17-time World Champion, holds the record for the most title reigns recognized by the sport - - Rather than give a speech, Cena left his wristbands & shoes in the ring, walked up the entrance ramp, turned & gave one last salute to the camera & his fans. . Q: What were your thoughts on John Cena's final WWE match & the way in which his pro wrestling career ended?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 114 - The "Woody Bowl Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Fifteen aka "Championship Week" Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 15 or "Championship Week" slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment:

Sun Belt Conference Championship: No.25 James Madison Dukes vs. Troy Trojans

American Athletic Conference Championship: Tulane Green Wave vs. North Texas Mean Green

Big 12 Conference Championship: No.11 BYU Cougars vs. No.4 Texas Tech Red Raiders

SEC Conference Championship: No.3 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide

Big Ten Conference Championship: No.2 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes

ACC Conference Championship: No.17 Virginia Cavaliers vs. Duke Blue Devils

- NCAA College Football Week Sixteen + Bowl Week #1 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's 'preview and predictions' segment, JD & Spencer (a) preview the weekly matchup between Army-Navy as well as the slate of games from the first week of Bowl season; and, (b) provide their individual predictions for each of these matchups - as well as an in-depth evaluation of this year's bowl schedule: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!

Week Sixteen:

Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen(-6)                    O/U38.5

"Cricket Celebration Bowl:" South Carolina State (9-3) vs. Prairie View A&M (10-3)

**NOTE: Game played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA

"Bucked Up LA Bowl:" Boise State vs. Washington(-8.5)               O/U51.5

"IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl:" Troy (-4) vs. Jacksonville State        O/U46.5

"StaffDNA Cure Bowl:" Old Dominion vs. USF (-6.5)   O/U57.5

'68 Ventures Bowl:" Louisiana (-3) vs. Delaware               O/U58.5

- NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - 2025 College Football Playoff Bracket Reveal: The full 12-team College Football Playoff was revealed by ESPN on Sunday, with the top four seeds earning first-round byes, and eight "at-large" teams scheduled to play in first-round matchups at campus sites across the country - - The twelve (12) teams, in their exact order of their CFP seeding are: (1) Indiana, (2) Ohio State, (3) Georgia, (4) Texas Tech, (5) Oregon, (6) Ole Miss, (7) Texas A&M, (8) Oklahoma, (9) Alabama, (10) Miami, (11) Tulane, and (12) James Madison (JMU) - - **In next week's episode, we will preview, breakdown & present our independent predictions for each of the first-round matchups of this year's College Football Playoff. . .The College Football Postseason is here, and what's the best side dish to serve alongside the main 'entree that we refer to as the College Football Playoff/Bowl season: A nice slice of Drama: Despite finishing off the college football regular season with eight consecutive victories, and compiling a 10-2 record, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a postseason mainstay, will be notably absent this bowl season: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish announced in a statement posted to social media on Dec. 7 that they have decided as a team to withdraw their name from bowl consideration following the 2025 college football regular season. . .but Why? The decision came after Notre Dame was left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff field, despite closing out the season with a 10-2 record - - Prior to their withdrawal from bowl consideration, Notre Dame was projected to play in this year's Pop-Tart Bowl, which is scheduled to occur on Dec. 27th at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL - - Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua told ESPN that the program was in utter disbelief and shock after being left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket/field, and he also expressed frustration with the process, stating that any rankings ahead of the final ones are a "farce and total waste of time," - - While HC Marcus Freeman & the Fighting Irish were clearly shocked, and therefore reacted unfavorably to the College Football Playoff committee's decision regarding the playoff field, it's not that difficult to understand or sympathize with the program for the following reason: Prior to the CFP bracket reveal, Notre Dame was ranked No.10 - after dropping one spot in the CFP rankings last week, behind Alabama (No.9) - but they ultimately they fell to No.11 in the final CFP rankings in favor of the ACC's Miami Hurricanes, for which CFP Playoff committee chairman Hunter Yurachek, provided an explanation as to why Miami received the playoff nod, and Notre Dame did not, and surprisingly, it's not all that complicated: The CFP playoff committee's decision for including Miami in the field over Notre Dame came down to the "head-to-head" game between the two programs - as HC Mario Cristobal & the Miami Hurricanes opened the 2025-26 college football regular season in August with a resume-building 27-24 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish - - Notre Dame needed to finish in the top 10 of final CFP rankings to earn a spot in this year's playoff field because two of the five conference champions, who are guaranteed spots, were ranked outside of the top 12. . .and once again, Notre Dame does not belong to a Power Five Conference, which in this particular scenario, came back to haunt them in terms of the final CFP rankings. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Notre Dame's decision to decline a bowl game invitation this postseason after being excluded from the 2025 College Football Playoff bracket/rankings? What does this type of decision teach and/or reinforce to the Fighting Irish players, especially those seniors who will not return next season?. . ."The Penn State Effect:" Penn State's prolonged coaching search following James Franklin's departure on October 12th created a market ripple, which essentially triggered massive contract negotiations and raises for other established coaches, such as Curt Cignetti (Indiana) & Kalani Sitake (BYU), as their current programs locked them into a deal for the foreseeable future, thus preventing them from becoming the next head football coach at Penn State University, making several HCs very wealthy in the process while Penn State initially struggled to find a new leader - - **NOTE: Per Thomas Carr of On3 Sports, the Nittany Lions' coaching search has allowed for seven other FBS coaches to earn a combined $370.8 million in contract extensions (aka "The Penn State Effect"). . .but then, it finally happened: Penn State football named & officially introduced Matt Campbell as it's next HC, becoming the 17th in program history, the school announced last Friday - - With Penn State's Board of Trustees' approval, Matt Campbell's contract is reported to be an eight-year deal running through 2033 with $70.5 million in guaranteed salary - - Campbell, the winningest HC in Iowa State program history, is a three-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, and he led the Cyclones for ten seasons (8 winning seasons) & two Big 12 Conference Championship game appearances - - Campbell, 46, went 72-55 throughout the decade he spent with the program, becoming its winningest HC last season - and he also went 35-15 as the HC at University of Toledo from 2011 to 2015 - - **NOTE: Campbell & his coaching staff have developed 15 NFL draft picks over the past seven years, including NFL stars Brock Purdy (QB/49ers), Breece Hall (RB/NYJ) & David Montgomery (RB/Lions). . .Q: What are your thoughts on Penn State AD Patrick Kraft's decision to hire Iowa State's Matt Campbell as the Nittany Lions' next head football coach?. . .Iowa State certainly did not wait around to find Matt Campbell's replacement: Just minutes after multiple sources reported that Campbell was finalizing a deal to become the Nittany Lions' next HC, the Cyclones made their move, announcing that the program was hiring Washington State's Jimmy Rogers - - Ironically, Rogers' hire was officially announced by the school prior to Penn State's official announcement regarding Campbell's hire - - Rogers, 38, signed a six-year contract that initially will pay him approximately $3 million per year, which is roughly double his salary in his one season at Washington State - - Rogers indicated that several members of his Washington State staff will be joining him as ISU - and as a defensive specialist, he indicated that he plans to install a four-man front, which will be a departure from the 3-3-5 alignment for which the Iowa State program has ran for the past decade. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard's decision to hire Washington State's Jimmy Rogers as the Cyclones' next HC?. . .After nearly two months of searching for its next head football coach, UAB (i.e., JD's alma mater) is turning to the option it had all along: The Blazers promoted interim coach Alex Mortensen to a full-time role. . .Mortensen, 40, spent the past three seasons as the Blazers' OC, and following Trent Dilfer's firing on October 12th, he led the Blazers to a 2-4 record, which included a win over then-No.22 Memphis as well as a shorthanded victory at Tulsa this past weekend that snapped the team's 17-game road losing streak. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UAB's promotion of interim coach Alex Mortensen to the permanent HC?. . .The UConn Huskies have announced their successor for Jim Mora: Jason Candle, the HC at Toledo since 2016, has been named the 33rd Husky head football coach after finalizing a six-year deal through the 2031 season - Candle was officially introduced as UConn's next HC at a press conference on Monday - - At Toledo, Candle had compiled an 81-44 record as the Rockets HC, winning the MAC Conference title twice in his ten years with the program. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UConn's hiring of Toledo's Jason Candle as Jim Mora's successor?. . .Memphis has hired Charles Huff as its next head football coach after his one season at Southern Miss - - Memphis AD Ed Scott announced the hire on Monday with Huff replacing Ryan Silverfield, who accepted the head coach position at the University of Arkansas on Nov. 30th - - In his one season at the helm for Southern Miss, Huff went 7-5 after taking over a program that went 1-11 in 2024, which was the program's best overall record since 2019 - - **NOTE: The six-win turnaround was actually one of the most profound improvements at the FBS level this season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Memphis' hiring of Charles Huff as their next HC and as Ryan Silverfield's succesor?. . .LSU DC Blake Baker is remaining with the program, according to a social media post by Tigers HC Lane Kiffin on Friday afternoon - - Baker, who led the Tigers' defense the past two seasons, interviewed - and was thought to be a "strong candidate" - for the head coaching vacancies at Tulane and Memphis, however, Baker ultimately making the decision to remain in Baton Rouge with Kiffin, who prioritized retaining Baker, who is one of the nation's highest-paid assistants at an average annual salary of $2.5 million per year - - Under Baker, the Tigers ranked 15th in scoring defense & 25th nationally in total defense this fall. . .Q: In pursuit of achieving success at LSU, how important was it for Lane Kiffin to retain DC Blake Baker as a part of his staff?. . .Former Virgina Tech HC Brent Pry - who was fired from the program back in September, is set to return as the Hokies' DC under new HC James Franklin, sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday - - In a highly unusual move, Pry will re-join the team he led from 2022 up until Sept. 14th of this year, when he was fired after an 0-3 start - - Under Pry, Virginia Tech went 16-24 with bowl appearances the past two seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the highly unusual hire of Brent Pry as the Hokies' DC and/or as a part of HC James Franklin's staff?. . ."A [Really, Really, Really] Day:" Throughout the 2025 college football season, rumors circulated that Michigan Wolverines HC Sherrone Moore was in danger of losing his job - - No credible details surfaced, and Moore continued his duties, completing the regular season with a 9-3 record & participating in a news conference Monday to discuss the Wolverines' upcoming bowl game against Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl - - Two days later, the news came down: Michigan fired the 39-year-old head football coach for cause, following an investigation that found "credible evidence" that he "engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member," which is a violation of U-M's work policy - - This dismissal marked a troubling end to Moore's tenure at Michigan, which began in 2018 when he joined HC Jim Harbaugh's staff as the TEs coach, later becoming the OL coach & leading a group that won the Joe Moore Award (best offensive line) - - Moore's ascent continued as OC, and he stepped in for Harbaugh as acting HC during Harbaugh's Big-Ten imposed suspension late in the 2023 season - as the Wolverines went on to claim their third straight Big Ten title, and their first national title in the CFP era - - Then, Harbaugh returned to the NFL to become the head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers, and Moore was subsequently promoted to HC: His Wolverines stunned rival Ohio State in his first full season as HC, and went 17-8 over two seasons at the helm, but now, he's out - - "Alleged Assault" Probe: Per ESPN's Dan Wetzel, Moore was detained by the City of Saline Police Department and turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department - - Later Wednesday night, Wetzel further reported that, just hours after being fired as the head football coach at Michigan, Sherrone Moore was in custody in the Washtenaw (Michigan) County Jail as a suspect in an "alleged assault," yet details remained limited during the ongoing inquiry. . .Q: On a level from "A little" to a "SHIT TON," how shocked were you to hear about the news that Michigan had fired its HC Sherrone Moore? - - "A Michigan Man:" Unfortunately, Michigan is entering the coaching market at a precarious time, as all major openings have been filled and, perhaps more importantly, a number of potential candidates have re-signed lucrative contracts to remain with their existing programs - - Still, Michigan as a program can offer a lot: an iconic American sports brand with deep pockets & a recent run at both regional & national success, and should garner reasonably solid interest for the open head coaching position - - The school clearly needs a replacement with ZERO character concerns - - Beyond the coaching search, though, Moore's firing undoubtedly rocks this Michigan program just weeks prior to the NCAA transfer portal set to open - - JD & Spencer discuss & assess a few of the potential coaching candidates that Michigan AD Warde Manuel could possibly target to replace Moore, and they both provide their prediction as to which of the following candidates would be the "best hire" for the Michigan Wolverines football program moving forward (Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer, Washington HC Jedd Fisch & Los Angeles Chargers DC Jesse Minter). . .

- NFL - - NFL Week 14 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 14 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games:

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (**Packers move into first place in the NFC North division)

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (**Two Replay Review prove to be costly for the Ravens)

. . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . . .the Tennessee Titans' Defense: After recovering a fumble against the Cleveland Browns, the Titans' defense collectively performed the "Shedeur Celly" (which involves a player holding up their wrist up to their ear like a phone) - - This celebration, popularized in college by then-Colorado & current Browns QB Shedeur Sanders, has become a trend in the NFL, often used by players to "call out" the opposition - - The Titans picked up their second win of the season in a 31-29 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. . .

Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills (**QBs combine for a total of 500+ passing yards & 8 TDs)

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (**Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes finished game with 3 INTs/2025-26 NFL playoffs without Kansas City?!)

- NFL (cont'd) - - "River Running Dry:"QB Philip Rivers, 44, who has not played in the NFL since 2020, is signing to the Indianapolis Colts practice squad, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday - - With Colts' starter Daniel Jones out for the season after sustaining a torn right Achilles injury in Week 14, and backup QB Riley Leonard (rookie) dealing with a knee injury, the Colts turned to Rivers as an emergency solution - - Rivers is currently a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, and his signing to the Colts' practice squad had no effect on his eligibility, however, if he signs with the Colts' active roster, his eligibility would reset - whether or not he takes a single snap in a game - and in this case, he would not be eligible again until 2031 - - The veteran QB has intimate knowledge of the Colts' offensive scheme and his working relationship with HC Shane Steichen will be seamless - as they worked closely during Steichen's days as the Los Angeles Chargers OC - prior to Rivers' one (and final) season with the Colts. . .Q: What are your thoughts on veteran QB Philip Rivers "unretiring" and signing with the Indianapolis Colts practice squad? Based on Indy's current QB situation and lack of depth at the position, does the 44-year-old Rivers actually line up under center for the Indianapolis Colts with just four weeks remaining in the 2025-26 NFL regular season?. . .

- MLB - - First baseman Pete Alonso & the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $155 million contract, sources informed ESPN's Jeff Passan on Wednesday evening - - After failing to acquire the long-term deal that he coveted, Alonso made $30 million with the New York Mets in 2025 and was certainly worth every penny as he rebounded to slash .272/.347/.524 with 38 HRs and 126 RBIs, batting behind Juan Soto for the first time. . .but surprisingly, the Mets did not make the first baseman an offer, sources confirmed to ESPN - - In August, the five-time MLB All-Star became the Mets' all-time leader in HRs, surpassing Darryl Strawberry's previous record of 252 to solidify his place as one of the franchise's top players (Alonso now has a 264 HRs in his career). . .Q: What do you think was the deterring factor for the New York Mets as to why they did not make 1B Pete Alonso an offer, essentially allowing him to walk/sign with the Baltimore Orioles?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 113 - The "Across Enemy Lines Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Fourteen aka "Rivalry Week" Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 14 or "Rivalry Week" slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment:

"Egg Bowl:" No.7 Ole Miss Rebels at Mississippi State Bulldogs

"Lone Star Showdown:" No.3 Texas A&M Aggies at No.16 Texas Longhorns

"Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate:" No.4 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No.23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

"The Game:" No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes at No.15 Michigan Wolverines

No.14 Vanderbilt Commodores at No.19 Tennessee Volunteers

"The Iron Bowl:" No.10 Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers

- NCAA College Football Week Fifteen aka "Championship Week" Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Fifteen preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the "Championship Week" matchups from the Power Four to the Group of 5 Conferences - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!!

                     

C-USA Championship: Jacksonville State at Kennesaw State (-1.5) O/U59.5

MAC Championship: Miami (OH) vs. Western Michigan (-2.5)  O/U43.5

Mountain West Championship: UNLV vs. Boise State (-3.5)  O/U58.5

Sun Belt Championship: Troy vs. No.25 James Madison (-23.5)       O/U47.5

American Athletic Championship: No.20 Tulane vs. No.24 North Texas (-2.5) O/U66.5

Big 12 Championship: No.11 BYU vs. No.4 Texas Tech (-12.5)         O/U49.5

ACC Championship: No.17 Virginia (-3.5) vs. Duke                 O/U57.5

Big Ten Championship: No.1 Ohio State (-4.5) vs. No.2 Indiana       O/U47.5

SEC Championship: No.3 Georgia (-2.5) vs. No.9 Alabama           O/U47.5

- NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - In this segment, JD & Spencer discuss the domino-like effect of coaching hires across the NCAA Division I College Football landscape, and provide a detailed analysis regarding many of the most notable update(s) concerning the "Coaching Carousel" that has seemed to be a central theme of the sport over the past week; this discussion includes the following fifteen to sixteen FBS programs/hires: **Let Us Know Your Thoughts on a few of the major coaching changes across College Football from the previous week - - Share Your Thoughts with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at [email protected]!

Oregon State - - JaMarcus Shephard (former Alabama co-OC/Assistant HC & WRs coach)

Colorado State - - Jim Mora (former UConn HC)

Auburn - - Alex Golesh (former USF HC)

Arkansas - - Ryan Silverfield (former Memphis HC)

Florida - - Jon Sumrall as HC (former Tulane HC)/David Caldwell as GM (former Philadelphia Eagles Executive)

Michigan State - - Pat Fitzgerald (formerly of Northwestern)

Kentucky - - Mark Stoops (out)/ Will Stein (hired as HC/former Oregon OC)

UCLA - - Bob Chesney (former James Madison HC)

"Can't Turn a Heaux into a Housewife:" LSU - - Lane Kiffin (former Ole Miss HC) + Charlie Weis, Jr. (hired as OC/former Ole Miss OC)

Ole Miss - - Pete Golding (promoted to HC/former Ole Miss DC)

Penn State/BYU - - Shortly after a report was made public that BYU HC Kalani Sitake had emerged as Penn State's top target to become the Nittany Lion's next HC, BYU got to work, and per On3 Sports reporter Pete Nakos on Wednesday afternoon, Sitake is staying in Provo - as he expected to sign a new deal with the program with an approximate average annual salary of $9M to $9.5 per year. . .

Cal - - Tosh Lupoi (former Oregon DC)

North Texas - - Neal Brown (formerly had stints at Troy & West Virginia)

Kansas State - - Chris Klieman (retired)/Collin Klein (former Texas A&M OC & Wildcats QB)

USF - - Brian Hartline (former Ohio State OC)

- NFL - - NFL Week 13 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 13 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games:

"NFL on Thanksgiving Day:" Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions

"NFL on Thanksgiving Day, Game 2:" Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys

Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles (**Bears win their fifth straight game/Eagles OC Kevin Patullo's New Jersey home vandalized by Philly fans)

Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers (**Panthers defense force three Stafford turnovers/Rams' six-game winning streak snapped)

. . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .a Big Man! - - Tampa Bay Buccaneers OT Tristan Wirfs, who caught a pass from QB Baker Mayfield in the closing minutes of the first half to give the Bucs a 10-0 lead in their matchup on Sunday versus the Arizona Cardinals. . .Not only was it his first career catch, it was also the first TD he's ever scored in his professional career. . .Everything about the moment was awesome, including the way that he and teammate, Ben Bredesen, decided to celebrate afterwards. . .Queue up the "Dirty Dancing" celly. . . - - The Buccaneers would go on to defeat the Cardinals by a final score of 20-17. . .

Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen set the NFL record for rushing TDs by a QB on Sunday in the Bills-Steelers matchup in Pittsburgh: Allen bulldozed into the end zone for an 8-yard rushing score in the 4th QTR that ultimately put the game out of reach for the Steelers, which was the 76th rushing score of his eight-year career, breaking the record previously held by former NFL (and Carolina) QB Cam Newton (75) - - as the Bills gashed the Steelers with a ruthless rushing attack in a 26-7 victory. . .

- NBA - - Twenty-one games into his 21st NBA season, and what has been confirmed to be his final season in the league, Chris Paul will no longer be playing for the Los Angeles Clippers after being released by the NBA franchise. . .Paul announced on social media that the Clippers were sending him home as the team traveled to Atlanta for a game on Wednesday against the Hawks. . .The Clippers confirmed Paul will no longer be on the team in a statement to NBA insider Chris Haynes, after which an interesting report was released per ESPN's Shams Charania that, prior to his release, CP3 and Clippers HC Tyrone Lue had not been on "speaking terms" for several weeks. . .Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank released a statement on Wednesday detailing that the organization's decision to part ways with Paul did not come from just one isolated incident, and furthermore, that both sides had engaged in multiple conversations prior to Paul being informed that he would no longer be a part of the team in a stunning overnight move on Wednesday. . .While there are no obvious landing spots given Paul's age (40) & overall decline in his performance this season, there are teams around the NBA that are certainly in need of a PG, and that could possibly be willing to sign him - - the one team that is desperately seeking help at the PG position right now is the Minnesota Timberwolves - as All-Star SF Anthony Edwards has assumed that role as of late. . .Q: Do you think that the Minnesota Timberwolves would be a favorable fit for Chris Paul?. . .