Tradition's Finest Podcast

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 82 - “The smiTT'N like Jason wiTT'N Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA Women's NCAA Tournament Final Four & National Championship Review - Let's begin our review with the NCAA Tournament Women's Final Four - these games took place last Friday, April 4th in the beautiful city of Tampa, Florida. . .The first semifinal game included a couple of battle-tested No.1 seeds from the Southeastern Conference - HC Dawn Staley & the defending-champion South Carolina Gamecocks, who advanced to the Final Four after defeating the two-seeded Lady Blue Devils from Duke University 54-50 in the Region 2 Final (Elite Eight), which turned out to be a very intensity-driven & physical game, that occurred in Birmingham, AL the prior Sunday; and HC Vic Shaefer & the Texas Longhorns, who advanced to the Women's Final Four after defeating Hailey Van Lith & the two-seeded TCU Horned Frogs 58-47 in the Region 3 Final, that was also played in Birmingham, AL on Monday, March 31st. . .Led by senior guard Te-Hina Paopao & freshman forward Joyce Edwards, who led Dawn Staley's Gamecocks in scoring, with 14 and 13 points, respectively, would go on to dismantle the Texas Longhorns on Friday night, 74-57, to advance to their 4th National Championship Game - and to keep their hopes alive of becoming NCAAW back-to-back champions for the first time in program history. . .In the second matchup of the Women's Final Four between the No.2 seed UCONN Huskies, led by their legendary HC Geno Auriemma & the No.1 seed UCLA Bruins, who are led by HC Cori Close, who was recently named the Associated Press Women's Basketball Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Bruins to an oustanding 30-2 record this season as well as securing a No.1 seed in the 2025 NCAA Women's College Basketball Tournament — The Lady Huskies advanced to the Women's Final Four after dispatching the Region 4 No.1 seed USC Trojans 78-64 in Spokane, WA - although the Trojans were playing without their All-American guard & reigning 2025 National Player of the Year in Women's College Basketball, JuJu Watkins, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the Trojans' second-round victory over the 9-seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs, while the No.1 seed UCLA Bruins advanced to this year's Final Four after defeating the three-seeded LSU Tigers 72-65 in the Region 1 Final in Spokane, WA the prior Saturday evening. . .Led by the Huskies "Big Three," which are composed of freshman forward Sarah Strong and a pair of senior guards in Azzi Fudd & Paige Bueckers - who finished the game scoring a combined total of 57 points & made up 67% of the Huskies team total - would go on to dominate the UCLA Bruins 85-51 on Friday night to advance to their program-leading 13th national championship game — and would set up the monstrous clash in the NCAAW National Championship Game between the preseason No.1 ranked team & defending champion South Carolina Gamecocks & the preseason No.2 ranked team UCONN Huskies that was to be played on Sunday, April 4th in Tampa. . .In the NCAA Women's Tournament National Title Game, the No.2 seed UCONN Huskies proved to be way too dominant - both offensively & defensively for the Lady Gamecocks - as UCONN would go on to blow out South Carolina for the 82-59 victory, to win its record 12th national championship under HC Geno Auriemma - - Guard Azzi Fudd, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Women's Final Four, scored 24 points - while fellow senior guard Paige Bueckers finished the game with 17 points, and capped her stellar career by leading the Huskies to the program's first championship since 2016, which ended a nine-year drought for the team - - but she is expected to be the No.1 overall pick in this year's WNBA Draft scheduled to occur on April 14th. . .

- NCAA Men's NCAA Tournament Final Four & National Championship Review - In a Men's Final Four made up of four No.1 seeds, the intensity level was maxed out, and things were guaranteed to get "chippy" down the stretch: As so, in the first matchup of the Men's Final Four between two No.1 seeds & SEC Conference foes - the Florida Gators, who completed the incredible comeback against the three-seeded Texas Tech Raiders 84-79 in the West Region Final, to advance to the Men's Final Four, and the Auburn Tigers, who was able to hold off the two-seeded Michigan State Spartans 70-64 in the South Region Final - to reach their second consecutive Men's Final Four under HC Bruce Pearl. . .All-American PG Walter Clayton Jr. would finish the game with 34 points, and would lead the Gators to a 79-73 victory over the top overall seed Tigers last Saturday night, to advance Florida to the NCAA Men's Tournament National Title Game for the first time since their back-to-back titles in 2006 & 2007 - Clayton became the first player with consecutive 30-point games in both the Elite Eight & the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament since Larry Bird for the Indiana State Sycamores in 1979. . .Much like the theme for the past few games, Auburn played very well in the first half & would enter the halftime break with an eight-point lead - but Thomas Haugh & the Gators offense would hit a streak to open the second half on a 13-3 run, while Tigers' Johni Broome, with the injury to his right elbow looming, struggled in this game, finishing with 15 points on 6-for-14 shooting and 7 rebounds - and the first all-SEC Conference matchup in the Final Four would end with PG Walter Clayton Jr. chasing down a loose rebound & tipping it back inbounds to keep the clock running & to secure the win - - The Gators would have a chance on the following Monday night to win the SEC's first national title since Kentucky back in 2012, the only one since the Gators won in back-to-back seasons under HC Billy Donovan. . .In the second matchup of the Men's Final Four between the Duke Blue Devils & the Houston Cougars, the Cougars' stingy defense wiped away a sizeable 14-point deficit over the final eight minutes of the game, to erase star freshman Cooper Flagg & the Blue Devils' dreams of a national title - - Led by PF Joseph Tugler's four crucial blocks, PG L.J. Cryer's team-high 26 points, Houston's relentless defense that held Duke to 37.5% shooting in the second half, and the Cougars ability to hold Duke to one FG over the last 10 ½ minutes - would serve to allow Houston to rally & close the game out on a 9-0 run in the final 33 seconds, and to defeat Duke 70-67 on Saturday night, to advance to their first NCAA Men's National Championship Game since 1984, where they would face off against the Florida Gators. . .In the NCAA Men's Tournament National Title Game, the amoeba-like defense of the Cougars carried over from their previous matchup with Duke - this time, with the sights of the targets pointed directly towards All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr., and for the first time all tournament, Clayton was held scoreless, going 0-for-4 from the field throughout the first half, however, Gators guard Will Richard would capitalize when the team was struggling - and the Gators would head to the locker room trailing Houston 31-28 to close out the first half. . . The Gators, in familar territory, was able to overcome the halftime deficit - which eventually rose to 12 points - marking the 4th comeback out of the six March Madness wins for the Gators. . . In a game where Florida led for a total of 64 seconds (or 1 minute & 4 seconds), it was PG Walter Clayton Jr. that would make an incredible defensive play on Houston's Emanuel Sharp in the final seconds of regulation, that would lift Florida to the program's third national title with the 65-63 victory over the Houston Cougars on Monday night. . .Florida HC Todd Golden, age 39, became the youngest coach to win a national title since NC State's Jim Valvano in 1983. . .Q: In an NCAA Tournament that included a record-setting 14 teams from the SEC, is it really that big of a surprise that one of the fourteen teams would go on to hoist the trophy?. . .On the other hand, you cannot help but feel horrible for HC Kelvin Sampson & the Houston Cougars - who were denied their first-ever championship - but you cannot help but give this team their due: this game was a defensive brawl, and Houston's defense was able to prevent the Gators from cracking 70 points for only the second time all season - Cougars' fans, hold your head up high, you guys WILL be back!. . .Final Note: JD officially knows ball - his final bracket prediction on the ESPN Tournament Challenge app was 94.4% - and he did predict the Florida Gators to hoist the trophy at the end of the Tournament

- Miscellaneous - While it is extremely rare for us to make mention or discuss news or storylines associated with other sports outside of the major sports (i.e., baseball, basketball, football, etc.), but every once in awhile, a very noteworthy or once-in-a-lifetime event occurs within one of the secondary sports - and it presents us with an opportunity to expand our discussions on topics outside of our weekly domain and/or broaden the scope to reach areas beyond our typical comfort zone(s) - - and ladies & gentlemen, such an event has occurred. . .NHL: Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin scored goal No. 895 on Sunday evening, passing Hall of Famer (and the NHL's ) Wayne Gretzky, to become the NHL's All-Time Leading Scoring Leader - - Interestingly enough, there is very little to debate, as Ovechkin completed this feat in the 1,487th game of his career, which is the exact same as Gretzky's career total - - Following Ovechkin's record goal in the second period of the Capitals' game versus the New York Islanders, the game came to a standstill as fans & players celebrated the historic moment - the 25-minute ceremony featured a couple video(s): one of which that chronicled Ovechkin's goal-scoring journey, featuring congratulations from NHL legends, such as Jaromir Jagr, Brett Hull, and former Capitals teammates, including center Nicklas Backstrom - and this particular video ended with a clip of his mother, Tatyana - applauding/praising her son for his historic career; and a second video, that featured an eclectic mix of star athletes & celebrities offering high praise to Ovechkin for this historic moment, which included the likes of the following athletes - Michael Jordan & LeBron James (NBA), Derek Jeter (MLB), Michael Phelps & Simone Biles (Team USA/Olympics), Roger Federer (Tennis), Jayden Daniels (NFL), Cody Rhodes (WWE), Sidney Crosby (NHL), and well-known artists/actors, such as: Snoop Dogg, Vince Vaughn & Danny DeVito. . .Q: After matching & then breaking Wayne Gretzky's record for the most goals scored in NHL history, do you consider Alex Ovechkin to be the GOAT of hockey? Or will Wayne Gretzky always be the greatest hockey player to ever play the game? (*Let Us Know What You Think - - Please Feel Free to Share Your Thoughts with us via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message via Email to [email protected]!!). . .PGA: The 2025 PGA Masters Tournament is officially underway in Augusta, GA - - and the BIG question surrounding this year's Tournament is: Can Scottie Scheffler win the event (& another green jacket) a 3rd time in four years?. . .Q: Is Scottie Scheffler your pick to win this year's Masters Tournament? What is your prediction for Rory McIlroy - will 2025 be the year that the No.1 PGA player in the world breaks through for a win at Augusta?. . .

- MLB - First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays reached an agreement on a 14-year, $500 million contract extension, as reported per ESPN's sources - this extension includes a no-deferral deal, and significantly raises the likelihood that the homegrown star will remain in Toronto for what is likely to be an extensive career. . .

- NBA - The NBA announced last Friday that Memphis Grizzlies' star Ja Morant had received a $75,000 fine for "twice making an inappropriate gesture," on the court during a game after previously being warned that the gesture "could be interpreted in a negative light" - - this fine stems from Morant's continued use of the "finger-gun" gesture - first in the team's Tuesday night matchup versus the Golden State Warriors & then in the team's 110-108 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night, which ultimately, led to the league-issed fine. . .Fast forward to this past Tuesday night, Morant ditched the "finger-gun" gesture & moved on to a "grenade" celebratory gesture - after draining a 3-pointer to put the Grizzlies up 92-70 versus the Charlotte Hornets, Morant would unveil his latest weaponry celebration by pretending to throw a grenade into the crowd, to which, the Memphis crowd reacted appropriately - which makes you wonder if this was a "pre-planned" occurrence. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding Ja Morant's antics on the court? What affirmitative action or steps can the league take to prevent players from repeating such gestures? (or more specifically, what action would be suitable and would have the potential to refrain Ja Morant from acting in this particular manner (i.e., an increased monetary fine, suspension, etc.?). . .With just six days remaining in the NBA regular season - and just two years removed from winning the NBA Championship - shock reverberated across the league on Tuesday after it was announced that the Denver Nuggets had fired head coach Michael Malone, and that they would not be extending the contract of GM Calvin Booth - - The Nuggets are currently in 4th place in the Western Conference playoff race, but after a four-game losing streak, and according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index, the Nuggets have a 46.9% chance of falling into the play-in tournament. . .Quite possibly, the most important topic of discussion after the news broke, concerned the future of Nuggets' All-Star center Nikola Jokic - Q: What do you think - does the firing of Nuggets HC Michael Malone positively or negatively impact Nikola Jokic's decision to remain in Denver?. . .

- NFL - After losing out on their primary target to serve as Dak Prescott's backup QB in Dallas, Jacoby Brissett - and allowing last year's backup, Cooper Rush, to sign a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, the Dallas Cowboys have finally ended their pain-staking search for a backup QB to Prescott - as "America's Team" acquired QB Joe Milton III & a 2025 7th-round pick from the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2025 5th-round pick, last Thursday morning. . .Former Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones, who is considered to be one of the best players in franchise history, announced his retirement last Friday after playing in the league for 13 seasons - Jones, 36, is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, a two-time 1st team All-Pro - and led the NFL in receiving yards (2015 & 2018) & is the Falcons' all-time leader in receptions (848) and receiving yards (12,896) - and he also won a national championship at the University of Alabama under HC Nick Saban. . .After spending most of his career with the Atlanta Falcons, Jones would go on to have short stints with teams such as the Titans, Bucs & Eagles. . .Overall, Jones finished his career with 914 total receptions for 13k+ receiving yards & 66 TDs. . .Next up for Julio? Nothing short of the Hall of Fame. . .

- NCAA: News & Storylines - Prior to Tuesday's college baseball doubleheader between Division III programs, Yeshiva University and Lehman College - both schools are located in different areas of New York - the two programs had lost a combined 141 games in a row - but this astounding losing streak finally came to an abrupt end on Tuesday for both programs - - The Lehman Lightning & the Yeshiva Maccabees would go on to split the doubleheader, with Lehman winning the opening (or first) game in extra innings with a final score of 7 to 6, while Yeshiva, who was riding a 100-game losing streak, defeated Lehman in the second game by a score of 9 to 5. . .Prior to each team's victory on Tuesday, Yeshiva had not won a single game since February 2022, while Lehman's last win occurred in May 2023, when they defeated Baruch College 7-4. . .

- NCAA College Basketball - Shoutout to last week's "Episode Athlete," Terrell "T.O." Owens alma mater - as the Chattanooga Mocs became the first Southern Conference team to win an NIT tournament title. . .Mocs' Collin Mulholland scored 19 points & knocked down five three-pointers while Garrison Keeslar sank a go-ahead jumper from the FT line with 11 seconds remaining in OT as Chattanooga would hang on to defeat UC Irvine 85-84 last Thursday night in the NIT Tournament Championship game. . .Chattanooga, with a 29-9 overall record, tied a program record for the most victories in a single season after winning 17 of it's last 18 games to capture the program's first postseason title. . .In what should not be considered earth-shattering or even remotely shocking news, it was reported on Sunday afternoon that Duke Blue Devils star freshman phenom, Cooper Flagg, was named the Naismith Men's College Basketball Player of the Year - and he also was named the AP College Basketball Player of the Year Award winner. . .Former Samford University head basketball coach Bucky McMillian was officially introduced as the Texas A&M Aggies head basketball coach on Monday afternoon - - McMillian, a Birmingham, AL native, previously coached at Mountain Brook High School, and led the program to five state titles at the 7A level, the state's highest high school classification - and would go on to lead the Samford Bulldogs to more wins in the Southern Conference than any other program over the past four years - and finished with an overall record of 99-52 over his five seasons at the helm for Samford, even leading the Bulldogs to a berth in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. . .On Wednesday afternoon, it was announced that Texas Tech All-American JT Toppin would be returning for the Red Raiders next season, per On3 Sports - and it was also revealed that Toppin is expected to make around $4 million in NIL next season at Texas Tech. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 81 - “The T.O. Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- MLB - After the league-wide batting average in 2022 was at its lowest point in more than a half-century, early into the 2023 MLB season, an MIT-educated physics professor, who had previously been an instructor in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan, and was currently a minor league hitting coordinator for the New York Yankees, started consulting with the hitters to determine what they would need to increase their performance (and NO! PEDs or anabolic steroids were not a viable option!). . .With much focus and consideration being given to increasing contact with the baseball, the hitting coordinator surmised that the easiest way to do so was: by increasing the size of the barrel of their bat (which turned out to be a "dud") primarily because the increase in overall weight of the bat would inversely decrease a hitter's swing speed. . .After going back to the drawing board, and taking into consideration the wood budget of a bat and/or the specific amount of weight (usually 31 or 32 oz) distributed over the average length of a bat, based on MLB standards - Leanhardt proposed a suggestion that involved investing a disproportionately amount of that budget (or weight) central to the barrel of the bat, but doing so in such a way that it does not throw off the remaining budget or distribution - Ultimately, this led to the creation of the 'bowling pin' bat, also referred to as the "torpedo bat," whose weight near the end of the bat has been redistributed toward the area 6 to 7 inches below its' tip (which is typically the point of contact of MLB players when they make contact with the ball). . .The torpedo bat had its big debut last weekend to kick of MLB Opening Day - as the New York Yankees tied a major league record with 15 HR's over their first three games of the season (17 over their first four games) - and while baseball fans much like ourselves, thoroughly enjoy the occasional dinger, this barrage of long balls has led to much speculation among sports' fans as well as opposing players from across the league, especially concerning the legality and ethics over the use of this type of "torpedo" bat. . . .However, according to the MLB, the bowling-pinned shaped bat abides by the league's collectively bargained bat specifications for its' shape, barrel size & length. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding MLB players' use of the "torpedo bats?" Should they be allowed to use them - and could this modification and/or change in the structure of the bat negatively influence and/or impact the art of pitching or the sport of baseball in general?. . .On the other hand, NYY All-Star & power-hitter Aaron Judge did not require a different type (or style) of bat to begin what could be a historic season: Through the first three games of the 2025 MLB season, Judge has hit four HR's, setting a franchise record for the Yankees - his first being a 468-footer. . .ESPN has reported that Judge is currently “on pace” to hit 308 HR's this season . . .

- NBA - Following Stephen A. Smith's comments & accusations of nepotism involving Bronny James & his status in the NBA, which were made on January 29th's episode of ESPN's “First Take” that eventually led to the now-infamous & heated confrontation between Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James & ESPN analyst/commentator/podcast host Stephen A. Smith during the Lakers-Knicks game back on March 6th, Smith is not backing down at all. . .On last Wednesday's episode of his self-titled podcast, Smith spent most of the show ripping LeBron James for his actions - and even stated at one point that he would have “swung on” LeBron - if the confrontation would have turned physical. .It just doesn't seem like this is going to end in a positive manner for Mr. Stephen A. Smith - Wonder if he realizes that LeBron James spends approximately $1 to $2 million a year on maintaining his physique & form. . .Q: Be real with us - If LeBron James walks up to you and gets in your face/initiates a confrontation, realistically, are you swinging on this specimen of a man?! Why or why not? **We Want Your Honest Response - Let Us Know/Share Your Response with us via our Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message via Email to [email protected]!. . .Five players and two Coaches were ejected after a fight broke out in the second QTR of the Minnesota Timberwolves' victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night - The Pistons lost HC J.B. Bickerstaff, center Isaiah Stewart, forward Ron Holland II & guard Marcus Sasser, while Minnesota forward Naz Reid & guard Donte DiVincenzo were also tossed - along with Assistant Coach Pablo Prigioni. . .The physical altercation began with a little over eight minutes left in the first half of the game with the Pistons up 39-30 - Pistons' Isaiah Stewart had received a technical foul moments earlier when he intentionally bumped Wolves' DiVincenzo after the whistle. . .Then Holland II was called for a foul after he slapped the ball out of Naz Reid's hands near the baseline, which led to the two players exchanging words - DiVincenzo stepped between them & grabbed Holland's jersey - and soon afterwards, chaos broke loose that led to all ten players on the court & multiple coaches and trainers from both teams, becoming involved in altercation. . .As the players were being separated, Pistons HC J.B. Bickerstaff & T-Wolves Assistant Coach Pablo Prigioni were screaming at each other and had to be separated by team personnel. . . After the the referee crew were able to clear the court, a total of 12 technical fouls were announced, the most in an NBA game since 2005. . .Once again in the news, but for a much better reason this time, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to overcome a career and NBA-best 61 point triple-double performance from Denver star center Nikola Jokic to outlast the Nuggets 140-139 in double OT on Tuesday night - Jokic's 61 points are the most points scored by a player in the league this season - and are also the most points scored in a triple-double in NBA history. . .Can you imagine scoring 61 points, recording a triple-double - just to lose in double OT by a single point?! - the environment within that locker room postgame would not be a pretty scene. . .Per ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday afternoon, ten-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony has been notified that he has been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025. . . In his single season at the collegiate level, Anthony led Syracuse University to an NCAA national title in 2003, was drafted 3rd overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2003 NBA Draft (a loaded draft class that included the likes of LeBron James (drafted 1st overall by CLE) & Dwayne Wade (drafted 5th overall by MIA). . . Anthony would go on to play in the NBA for 19 seasons, earning six All-NBA selections - and finishing with career averages of 22.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG & 2.7 APG while shooting 44.7% from the floor and 35.5% from beyond the arc. . .Anthony finished his career with 28,289 points, which is good for 10th place on NBA's all-time career scoring list. . .What a legend

- NFL - Denver Broncos' Nik Bonitto is going to need a new sack celebration - Among the NFL's rule changes this year is the ban of the “nose wipe” gesture, per an ESPN report last week. . .The updated rule calls for a 15-yard penalty for “any violent gesture, which shall include but not be limited to a throat slash, simulating or brandishing a gun, or using the nose wipe gesture, or an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive,”. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NFL's decision to ban the “nose wipe” gesture/celebration?. . .Does this boost or strengthen the league's reputation of being categorized as the “No Fun League?”. . .

- NCAA: News & Storylines - The NCAA has denied Deion Sanders' bid for an April 9th Spring game between Prime's Colorado Buffaloes & HC Fran Brown's Syracuse Orange, that was to be scheduled for original programming on channel ESPN2 - After applying for a waiver from the NCAA for the teams to play and practice against each other in April, the NCAA Division I FBS Oversight Committee met last week via video conference & opposed the request, citing that it would give the two schools a “competitive and recruiting advantage” to engage in activities that “no other institutions are permitted to do,”. . .In response to their opposition, Syracuse HC Fran Brown made a joke to reporters at a press conference, stating that if the idea of multiple schools holding a joint practice or game in the Spring, were proposed by other coaches (such as UNC HC Bill Belichick & Boston College HC Bill O'Brien) that the NCAA “would've let them do it,” - Brown would go on to state that he was “just messing” with the NCAA & that he was “literally joking.” - Q: All things considered, in this new era of collegiate sports that revolve around the NIL , are we really that far away from this type of televised, multiple-school format of joint practices & games (much like we see in the NFL)?. . .Former Tennessee football HC Jeremy Pruitt filed a lawsuit this week against the NCAA seeking $100 million over the fallout from his firing four years ago for alleged recruiting violations - Pruitt's lawsuit claims that the NCAA conspired with the University of Tennessee to make him “the sacrificial lamb for conduct that long preceded his tenure at UT.” - Pruitt was fired for cause in January 2021 after going 16-19 in three seasons & did not receive any of his $12.6 million buyout, and in July 2023, the University learned that all 11 wins from the 2019-20 and 2020-21 CFB seasons had been vacated as part of the punishment for the violations during Pruitt's tenure. . .The NCAA also issued a six-year show-cause penalty and one-year suspension against Pruitt, who has not coached in the sport since his appeal was denied - Pruitt is claiming that he has suffered damages including lost wages, future lost wages, damage to his reputation, emotional distress & mental anguish. . .Q: Will it be difficult for Pruitt to prove that the player-recruiting violations preceded his tenure at the University of Tennessee during the Phillip Fulmer era?. . .Stanford has hired former NFL HC Frank Reich as its' interim football HC following the firing of Troy Taylor, the school announced on Monday - Cardinals GM Andrew Luck opted to hire his old NFL head coach when he played QB for the Indianapolis Colts back in 2018. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the hiring of Frank Reich at Stanford? Thoughts on the “interim” tag?. . .

- NCAA College Basketball - After spending the past four seasons with the New Mexico Lobos, early last week, Xavier University hired Richard Pitino as its' next men's head basketball coach, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday night - With this hire, Pitino will now coach in the same league as his father, Rick Pitino, who won the Big East Conference Coach of the Year & led St. John's to the league's regular-season & conference tournament championships. . .Q: What do you think about the hire of Richard Pitino at Xavier University?. . .Maryland's Kevin Willard has been hired as Villanova's new head basketball coach, ending more than a week of speculation among the press - after much controversy surrounding Willard's departure, it was announced on Wednesday that Maryland had hired Texas A&M's Buzz Williams to be the Terrapins' next HC. . .unfortunately for Buzz Williams, he will likely face the tall task of having to replace the entire roster of one of Maryland's best starting rosters this century, losing Ja'Kobi Gillespie & Rodney Rice to the transfer portal & with star freshman Derik Queen on the verge of potentially being a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. . .After losing Williams, Texas A&M began their search for a new HC immediately - however, it was reported on Wednesday per On3 Sports that HC Chris Beard will remain at Ole Miss despite being a leading candidate for the Aggies head coaching vacancy. . .Following in the footsteps of Stephen Curry & Davidson University, the University of Oklahoma has hired Atlanta Hawks' star PG Trae Young as an Assistant General Manager for the Men's Basketball Program - Young made the announcement on ESPN's “NBA Today” on Monday evening - in addition that he will be donating $1 million to the OU program, Young's alma mater. . .On Tuesday, it was announced that PG Meechie Johnson was transferring from Ohio State to South Carolina. . .after transferring from South Carolina to Ohio State. . .after transferring from Ohio State to South Carolina (No!. . .this is not a typo!) - Johnson is transferring for the 3rd time to play his 6th season on college basketball but he has managed to transfer back & forth between these two programs - this man is the personification of the word “allegiance”. . .

- NCAA Men's & Women's NCAA Tournament Weekly Review - Prior to our weekly review of all the “Madness” from this past week's Men's NCAA Tournament, we should probably give a proper shoutout to the Women's college basketball teams as well The 2024-25 Women's Final Four matchups are set: No.1 seed UCLA vs. No. 2 seed UCONN (-8.5) O/U135.5 and No.1 seed South Carolina (-5.5) vs. No.1 seed Texas O/U125.5. . .Q: Who is winning the 2024-25 NCAA Women's College Basketball Championship?. . .JD & Spencer reveal their picks - Be sure to Tune in!. . .JD & Spencer also discuss & provide an in-depth analysis (or breakdown) from each matchup of the Men's NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight: The following game(s) from this past weekend are reviewed and discussed in this episode:

West Region Semifinal: No.1 Florida vs. No.4 Maryland

West Region Semifinal: No.3 Texas Tech vs. No.10 Arkansas

East Region Semifinal: No.2 Alabama vs. No.6 BYU

East Region Semifinal: No.1 Duke vs. No.4 Arizona

South Region Semifinal: No.1 Auburn vs. No.5 Michigan

South Region Semifinal: No.2 Michigan State vs. No.6 Ole Miss

Midwest Region Semifinal: No.2 Tennessee vs. No.3 Kentucky

Midwest Region Semifinal: No.1 Houston vs. No.4 Purdue

West Region Final: No.1 Florida vs. No.3 Texas Tech

East Region Final: No.1 Duke vs. No.2 Alabama

Midwest Region Final: No.1 Houston vs. No.2 Tennessee

South Region Final: No.1 Auburn vs. No.2 Michigan State

- NCAA Tournament Prediction Showcase 3.0 - The 2024-25 NCAA Tournament Final Four is being played on Saturday, April 5th in San Antonio - and in this last segment, JD & Spencer will reveal their predictions for the upcoming Final Four matchups (as listed below). . .and finally, will then reveal their picks for the team that will be cutting down the net next Monday night in the Men's NCAA Tournament National Championship Game. . .In addition, they will discuss each team's preparation as they prepare for their Final Four matchups & discuss what factors must go right for each team to advance for a spot in the National title game. . .(**Share your picks from the Final Four as well as your prediction for this year's National Champion via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message via Email at [email protected]!)

No.1 Florida (-2.5) vs. No.1 Auburn       O/U159.5

No.1 Duke (-4.5) vs. No.1 Houston        O/U136.5

. . . And your pick for the 2024-25 NCAA Tournament National Champion is: _________________

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 80 - “The 19[Eighty] Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- Miscellaneous - George Foreman, a two-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion & Olympic gold medalist, passed away on Friday at the age of 76. . .Foreman was also an entrepreneur that is responsible for the indoor grills that bore his name, as well as the "George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine" commercials that advertised this particular product. . ."Undefeated No More:" The Missouri Tigers softball team snapped Oklahoma's 31-game win streak on Sunday after defeating the Sooners 3-1. . .

- MLB- Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie card sold for $1.1 million at a live auction event early Friday morning, and ironically, the card sold for more than Skenes' entire salary for the upcoming MLB season (i.e., $875,000). . .Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is still dealing with a mystery stomach illness & the timetable for his return is uncertain. . .Betts reported that he has been unable to retain solid food without vomiting over the past couple weeks & has lost approximately 15 lbs. . .Furthermore, according to the Dodgers, Betts is a "long shot" for the team's Opening Day game on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers. . .

- NBA - Following their NBA Championship last season, news broke that the Grousbeck family would potentially be interested in selling the Boston Celtics franchise. . .On Thursday, it was announced per Shams Charania of ESPN that a group of investors led by Bill Chisholm had agreed to purchase the Boston Celtics for $6.1 billion dollars, which is the largest sale for an American sports franchise in North American history. . .Former NBA stars Michael Beasley & Lance Stephenson announced via their Instagram accounts last week - that they will face off in a 1v1 game on June 6th for $100k. . .Q: Who do you think will win in the one-on-one matchup between Michael Beasley & Lance Stephenson?. .

- NFL - After signing QB Jameis Winston last week to a two-year, $8 million deal, the New York Giants & veteran QB Russell Wilson reached an agreement on a one-year deal worth an estimated $21 million dollars, including $10.5 million guaranteed on Tuesday evening. . .WR Stefon Diggs reached an agreement with the New England Patriots on Tuesday evening for a three-year deal worth $69 million, including $23 million guaranteed. . .Q: What are your thoughts on these particular deals (i.e., Wilson to NY/ Stefon to NE)?. . .

- NCAA: News & Storylines - LSU RB John Emery Jr. recently announced his intention to return for a 7th season of college football - if granted eligibility by the NCAA. . .Emery suffered ACL injuries in back-to-back seasons. . .Tigers HC Brian Kelly was surprised by the news, and responded accordingly at a press conference last week, stating that they would assist Emery in the process of transferring to a different school within the Power 4 Conferences. . .LSU fans did not react favorably to Kelly's comments at the press conference, and made notable posts via social media regarding Kelly's behavior and the way in which the situation was handled. . .Q: Do you believe that LSU HC Brian Kelly handled this situation with RB John Emery Jr. properly? Do you think that the LSU Tigers fan base has a "love-hate relationship" with HC Brian Kelly as it pertains to his actions off the field? - Per On3 Sports on Tuesday afternoon, John Emery Jr. announced that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal. . .Given the recent rash of driving-related issues involved University of Georgia football players, including arrest and a fatal accident, many are suggesting that Georgia HC Kirby Smart should consider banning players from driving, or at least implementing stricter measures to address what we believe is a "cultural" problem. . .Since January 2023, there have been numerous driving-related incidents involving Georgia football players - including arrests for reckless driving, speeding & DUI - as well as a fatal accident that led to a loss of life of a player & a former recruiting staffer. . .Most recently, two more Georgia football players - "Nitro" Tuggle & Marques Early - were arrested on vehicular charges & suspended indefinitely. . .Q: What are your thoughts on this issue at the University of Georgia - Is it a "cultural" issue? Realistically, are there any stricter measures that can be put into place to lower the risk of these type of player-related incidents in Athens?. . . It was announced on Tuesday evening that Stanford University had fired its head football coach Troy Taylor - and that, furthermore, the decision to do so, was made by General Manager Andrew Luck, who became the first GM in college football history to fire a program's HC. . .Q: What do you think about GM Andrew Luck's decision to fire Stanford HC Troy Taylor? Will the GM role become a central figure & fixture across the college football landscape?. . .

- NCAA Men's College Basketball - Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, the University of Iowa has agreed to a deal to make Drake coach Ben McCollum the school's next Men's basketball coach, which was announced later on Monday evening by the school. . .McCollum won four D-II national titles at Northwest Missouri State prior to leading the Drake Bulldogs to a 30-plus win season & a trip to the NCAA Tournament in his lone season with the program. . ."A Great Pickup for the Hawkeyes:" In addition to the hiring of McCollum, former star guard at Drake, Bennett Stirtz, announced later on Monday evening his intent to enter the NCAA transfer portal, as well as his decision to follow HC Ben McCollum to Iowa - Stirtz averaged 19.2 PPG & 5.7 APG on 49.8% shooting this season at Drake. . .Xavier's Sean Miller has reached an agreement to become the next head coach of the Texas Longhorns Men's basketball team, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday afternoon - Miller, a veteran HC, who has spent time at Arizona & Xavier, has led teams to a total of 13 NCAA Tournament appearances in his career, including in two of the past three seasons at Xavier. . .Miller has won 487 games and brings a winning percentage of more than 71%, and will replace Rodney Terry, who was informed last Sunday that he would not return to the lead the Longhorns next season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the hire of Sean Miller as the new HC for the Texas Longhorns' basketball team?. . .The University of South Florida announced on Wednesday that they have hired Arkansas State HC Bryan Hodgson to a six-year deal to become the Bulls' new head basketball coach. . .Hodgson, a former Nate Oats assistant at Buffalo & Alabama, helped lead the Arkansas State Red Wolves to a 45-28 overall record in the past two seasons - as well as tying for first place in the Sun Belt Conference this season. . .The NCAA & the Raleigh Police Department have launched an formal investigation into UCONN's athletic department, per multiple sources, following Huskies' HC Dan Hurley's explicit rant - following the team's loss to Florida in the Round of 32 last Sunday - as the team were headed back to the locker room that was caught on video by a member of the media - UCONN's Director of Men's Basketball Communications Bobby Mullen then demanded the deletion of this video, and would go on to threaten the reporter, stating that he would "ruin his life," which in North Carolina, is illegal. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UCONN HC Dan Hurley's explicative-filled rant following the team's loss? Should UCONN's athletic department receive some type of punishment by the NCAA (i.e., postseason ban, loss of scholarship spots, etc.)?. . .Per On3 Sports, Saint Francis (PA) will move from a Division I to a Division III program - the Red Flash advanced to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, however, they lost on a last-second bucket in the First Four game versus the Alabama State Hornets last Wednesday evening. . .Q: Do you think the loss in the First Four game versus Alabama St. had any influence on the program's decision to move from a D-1 to a D-III school?. . .Following the Cowboys' loss to the Purdue Boilermakers in the Round of 32, HC Will Wade officially signed his contract to become the new HC at NC State University - and according to multiple reports, viral team manager Amir "Aura" Khan is expected to follow Wade to Raleigh, NC. .- NCAA Tournament Review - After No.9 seed Creighton defeated the 8-seed Louisville Cardinals in the first round (and game) of the 2025 NCAA Tournament last Thursday morning - only 36.17% of brackets on the ESPN Tournament Challenge mobile application remained perfect. . .but we have to "shout-out" that ONE person with the bracket title of "#ROADTOPERFECTION," who started the Tournament 42-0 with their predictions after the East region No.1 seed Duke Blue Devils advanced to the Sweet 16 after defeating Baylor in the Round of 32. . .However, the last remaining perfect bracket was busted after the 3-seed Kentucky Wildcats defeated the 6-seed Illinois Fighting Illini on Sunday afternoon. . .And Then There Were 32. . .has been dwindled down to the Sweet 16 remaining teams in the Tourney - Who will compete for a shot at a National Championship?. . .but first, how did we get down to the final sixteen teams remaining? . .

No.4 Purdue defeated No.12 McNeese State 76-62

No.10 Arkansas stunned No.2 St. John's 75-66

No.5 Michigan defeated No.4 Texas A&M 91-79

No.3 Texas Tech defeated No.11 Drake 77-64

No.1 Auburn defeated No. 9 Creighton 82-70

No.6 BYU pulled off the upset over No.3 Wisconsin 91-89

No.1 Houston defeated No.8 Gonzaga 81-76

No.2 Tennessee are movin' on after the win over No.7 UCLA 67-58

No.1 Florida defeated an upset-minded No.8 UCONN 77-75

No.1 Duke dominated No.9 Baylor 89-66

No.3 Kentucky held on to defeat No.6 Illinois 84-75

No.2 Alabama pulled out the win over No.7 Saint Mary's 80-66

No.4 Maryland is movin' on after Derik Queen buzzer-beater over No.12 Colorado State 72-71 (*this is the first NCAA Tournament since 2007 with no teams seeded 11th or lower in the Sweet 16)

No.6 Ole Miss upsets No.3 Iowa State 91-78

No.2 Michigan State defeated Richard Pitino & No.10 New Mexico 71-63

No.4 Arizona completed the comeback to stun No.5 Oregon 87-83

Sweet Sixteen Team Breakdown by Conference:

SEC Conference: 7 teams (Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Kentucky & Arkansas) - *most by any Conference ever. . .

Big Ten Conference: 4 teams (Purdue, Maryland, Michigan & Michigan State)

Big XII Conference: 4 teams (Arizona, BYU, Texas Tech & Houston)

ACC Conference: 1 team (Duke) - *for the first time since 1975, the ACC did not have multiple teams advance to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. . .

- NCAA Tournament Preview & Prediction Showcase, PT 2: JD & Spencer provide in-depth, detailed analysis for each matchup in the third & fourth rounds of the 2025 NCAA Tournament (i.e., Sweet Sixteen & Elite Eight). . .By the end of this week's prediction showcase, we each reveal our Final Four team picks. . .**Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest -OR- by Email at [email protected]!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 79 - “The Nineteen[79] Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NBA - At this point, it does not seem like a debatable topic: there is harmful and/or hazardous waste circulating within the water supply in Texas, more specifically in the regions of San Antonio and Dallas - and we aren't referring to fluorine, or to that "poisonous waste" dispelled from the Montesanto fertilizer plant - or the Erin Brockovich-type waste that was causing the people in that California community a laundry list of significant health concerns - nope! This hazardous material in the water leads to an excess of injuries, especially when combined with physical activity & non-sedentary lifestyle (Okay, so maybe there aren't any "poisonous" chemicals in the water supply of these two towns). . .but there is certainly "something" that is affecting the NBA players within both, the San Antonio Spurs & Dallas Mavericks, organizations in terms of player injuries. . . It was first reported last Thursday that Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox will miss the remainder of the NBA season with a "finger injury," - Fox underwent season-ending surgery to repair the tendon damage in his left pinky finger. . .Then, on the following Monday, ESPN reporter Bobby Marks, reported that the Dallas Mavericks (the other team drinking from that "well") "are at risk of forfeiting games due to injuries and salary cap rules," - as the Mavericks currently have nine players sidelined due to a list of specified injuries, and are barely meeting the active player minimum for an NBA roster. . .Also, on Monday, the team announced that All-Star PF Anthony Davis is being sent to the Mavericks' NBA G-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, to get some 5-on-5 work in as he prepares for his return from a left adductor strain that he suffered shortly after being traded to the franchise by the L.A. Lakers. . .Q: What do you think - based on the "state" of the Dallas Mavericks' franchise & their injury-plagued team, should Anthony Davis return to the court this season or should he be allowed to recover, and return in 2025?. . .

- NFL - The San Francisco 49ers announced last Friday that they signed QB Mac Jones to a two-year, $8 million deal - throughout Jones' four-year career with the Patriots (2021-23) and most recently with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2024), he has appeared in 52 games with 49 starts and holds a 65.9% completion percentage & a passer rating of 84.9 - Obviously, in a contract year for starting QB Brock Purdy, Jones will serve as the backup QB to a Niners team with solid wideouts & an offense built for success - Q: How does the signing of Mac Jones affect QB Brock Purdy? Or does it affect him or his production at all?. . . Former LA Rams WR Cooper Kupp recently agreed to terms on a three-year, $45 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced last Friday evening - Kupp, who grew up roughly 140 miles SE of Seattle, attended Eastern Washington University prior to being selected by the Rams in the 2017 NFL Draft - Q: What are your thoughts on the Seahawks' signing of veteran WR Cooper Kupp? With the addition of QB Sam Darnold, Is Cupp a "good fit" for a Darnold-style offense?. . . The Cincinnati Bengals reached extensions with WR's Ja'Marr Chase & Tee Higgins, as reported by Fox Sports on Sunday - Chase agreed to a four-year, $161 million deal (with an annual average salary of $40.25 million), which now breaks the NFL record for the highest average annual salary for a non-QB. . .while Higgins agreed to a four-year, $115 million deal that is guaranteed for the first two years - QB Joe Burrow now has his top targets secured. . .Q: But, what about the Bengals defense?. . .The Houston Texans agreed to sign All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. to a record extension - agreeing to sign Stingley to a three-year extension worth $90 million including $89 million guaranteed - With an average salary of $30 million per year, Stingley is now the highest paid defensive back in NFL history - and the CB market has completely been reset. . .Q: Was CB Derek Stingley Jr. necessarily worth an annual average salary of $30 million per year?. . .

- NCAA Men's College Basketball - The South Alabama Jaguars Men's basketball team's season is officially over after the NCAA botched the invitational process, sending an invitation to Jaguars' HC Richie Riley. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NIT/South Alabama situation?. . .In the lead-up to our NCAA Tournament Preview & Prediction Showcase this week, let's discuss a few of the major topics/storylines heading into the tournament: According to Duke Blue Devils HC Jon Scheyer, star freshman Cooper Flagg will play in the upcoming NCAA Tournament after suffering an ankle injury in the first half of the ACC Conference Tournament Quarterfinal game versus Georgia Tech - Flagg would go on to miss the remainder of the ACC Tournament, however, the resilient Blue Devils were able to deliver a Conference Tournament - but we have to mention a segment of their journey: In the ACC Semifinal game versus rival North Carolina, all signs were pointing to the possibility of Duke losing to UNC without Cooper Flagg, however, Tar Heels' Jae'Lyn Withers stepped over the line - literally! - Withers committed a lane violation with 4.1 seconds remaining in the game - which would lead to the Blue Devils' 74-71 victory & possibly one of the biggest mishaps in recent college basketball history. . .The University of Florida experienced no real bumps on their way to being crowned the 2025 SEC Conference Tournament Champions - the Gators also scored 104 points in the Tournament Semifinal game versus the Alabama Crimson Tide, which was a new record for the most points scored in an game in SEC Conference Tournament history. . . St. John's defeated Creighton 82-66 to win their first Big East Conference crown in 25 years under HC Rick Pitino - and were rewarded the No.2 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament. . .University of Iowa HC Fran McCaffery was recently dismissed after 15 seasons with the Hawkeyes, the school announced on Friday - McCaffery is the school's all-time wins leader with 297 & a record 143 Big Ten Conference victories - In his 15 seasons, he led the Hawkeyes to seven NCAA Tournament appearances, advancing to the 2nd round four time, but never reaching the Sweet Sixteen - the Hawkeyes consistently produced some of the nation's best offenses under McCaffery, ranking in the top 20 in adjusted offensive efficiency. . .Q: Who would be a good replacement for McCaffery at Iowa?. . .It was announced on Wednesday that NC State had reached an agreement with Will Wade to become the Wolfpack's next HC - Wade is set to coach the McNeese Cowboys, who will take on the 5-seed Clemson Tigers, in an opening round game on Thursday. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the "timing" of this announcement? Does it have an overall effect of the team in their first round matchup on Thursday?. . . On Selection Sunday, the SEC Conference made history - breaking the previous record for the most teams sent to the NCAA Tournament, 11, which was set by the Big East back in 2011 - as a record 14 (out of 16) teams received the invite. . . After suffering an injury in the first half versus Florida in the SEC Conference Tournament, Alabama PF Grant Nelson is "questionable" for Friday's game versus Robert Morris - as was announced by Crimson Tide HC Nate Oats on Monday. . .Q: Did the North Carolina Tar Heels deserve to make the the NCAA Tournament over the West Virginia Mountaineers?. . .On Wednesday evening, the University of Indiana announced that they have hired former WVU HC Darian DeVries as the program's next HC. . .In the "First Four' on Tuesday night, Alabama State defeated St. Francis (PA) with a full-court heave of a pass that led to a GW bucket with 0.7 seconds left - securing the No.16 seed for the Alabama State Hornets - Up Next: the No.1 overall seed Auburn Tigers. . . The North Carolina Tar Heels were "focused" and left no doubt in their game vs. SDSU on Tuesday night - guard RJ Davis finished the game with six 3-pointers & 26 points - as UNC dominated the Aztecs 95-68 to secure the No.11 seed & to silence the critics. . .

- NCAA Tournament Preview & Prediction Showcase: JD & Spencer provide in-depth, detailed analysis for each matchup in the first two rounds of the 2025 NCAA Tournament (i.e., Round of 64 & Round of 32), and provide their independent/individual pick predictions. . .JD & Spencer reveal the sixteen teams who advanced into their predicted "Sweet 16". . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 78 - “The Laremy Tunsil Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- Miscellaneous - The FBI has added a former Olympic snowboarder & Canadian national, Ryan Wedding, to its' infamous 'Ten Most Wanted Fugitives' list. . .After competing in the Giant Slalom Snowboarding competition during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah (where he would go on to place 26th overall in the event) - he allegedly began running a transnational drug trafficking network that shipped a large quantity of illegal drugs & narcotics from Columbia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada & other locations in the United States - and for orchestrating multiple murders and an attempted murder in furtherance of these drug-related crimes. . .Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge (ADIC) of the FBI's Los Angeles field office - described Wedding's shift from that of an Olympic snowboarder to the head of a drug-trafficking organization in a press conference held last Thursday - bluntly, when he stated that "Wedding went from shredding powder on the slopes at the Olympics to distributing powder cocaine on the streets of U.S. cities and in his native Canada.". .Additionally, the United States Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced that it is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to Wedding's arrest and/or conviction - and this reward supplements the FBI's current offering of $50,000 for information leading to Wedding's apprehension, arrest, and extradition - and is accordingly - being offered with assistance from the Canadian & Mexican governments as part of a unified effort to bring Wedding to justice. . .

- MLB - After experiencing elbow discomfort during a Spring Training outing last Thursday, New York Yankees ace Gerritt Cole, 34, will undergo Tommy John surgery to reconstruct a torn right ulnar collateral ligament and will miss the entire 2025 MLB season. . .While the Yankees did not provide an expected timetable for Cole's return, but pitchers generally need 12 to 18 months for a full recovery. . .Q: Is Cole's long-term future as an MLB ace in doubt?. .. If so, will his level of play return normal form or to that of a six-time All Star who won the 2023 American League Cy Young Award?. . .

- NCAA Men's & Women's College Basketball - Last Friday, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the five finalists for the 2025 "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award," which is annually presented to the top (or best overall) Center in Division I Men's College Basketball - and the five finalists for this year's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are: Ryan Kalkbrenner - Creighton; Derik Queen - Maryland; Vladislav Goldin - Michigan; Nate Bittle - Oregon; and Maxine Raynaud - Stanford. . .The winner of this Award will be presented on a TBD date - along with the other four members or Award winners of the 'Men's Starting Five' - The additional awards that will be presented include the "Bob Cousy Award" (best PG), the "Jerry West Award" (best SG), the "Julius Erving Award" (best SF), and the "Karl Malone Award" (best PF) - and the five finalist(s) for each of these particular awards are listed below. . .JD & Spencer discuss & analyze the award finalists, and provide their individual predictions as to which finalist(s) will be crowned the winner for each of these respective collegiate awards. . .**Let Us Know What You Think - Who should win the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award? The 2025 Karl Malone Award? The 2025 Julius Erving Award? The 2025 Jerry West Award? And the 2025 Bob Cousy Award? [Share your thoughts with us via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or via Email at [email protected]!!]. . .

2025 Cousy Award finalists: Mark Sears - Alabama, Walter Clayton Jr. - Florida, Kam Jones - Marquette, Braden Smith - Purdue, and Zakai Zeigler - Tennessee

2025 West Award finalists: Caleb Love - Arizona, VJ Edgecore - Baylor, PJ Haggerty - Memphis, Chaz Lanier - Tennessee, and Tre Johnson - Texas

2025 Erving Award finalists: Chad Baker-Mazara - Auburn, Cooper Flagg - Duke, Jaxson Robinson - Kentucky, Ace Bailey - Rutgers, and RJ Luis Jr. - St. John's

2025 Malone Award finalists: Johni Broome - Auburn, Danny Wolf - Michigan, JT Toppin - Texas Tech, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Eric Dixon - Villanova

- "The Iron Bowl: Hoops Edition" - Crimson Tide PG Mark Sears' last-second floater from the free-throw line at the buzzer last Saturday lifted No.7 Alabama to a thrilling 93-91 road win to avenge their loss to the No.1 Auburn Tigers earlier in the regular season. . .After Sears' buzzer-beater, the Crimson Tide evened up the season series between the in-state rivals at 1-1 with both of the road teams being victorious. . .Sears' buzzer-beater also stole the glory or removed most of the spotlight from potential Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year & Auburn Tiger star center, Johni Broome, who had a stellar performance, finishing the game with 34 points. . .Crimson Tide PF Grant "The 'stache" Nelson led Alabama with 23 points & 8 rebounds, setting the tone early into the game with a poster dunk followed by his depiction of the "Crimson Crane" pose in front of Johni Broome that served to certainly rile up the Auburn student section/fans at Neville Arena. . .Following the loss to Alabama to close out the NCAA regular-season, and for the first time this season - Auburn lost two consecutive games - which would ultimately cost them their No.1 ranking in the updated AP Poll's Top 25, which was released the following Monday morning. . .However, regardless of the Tigers' current two-game losing streak, and the Crimson Tide snapping their own two-game losing streak with the much-needed win over Auburn - both teams will enter into the SEC Conference Tournament on Wednesday in Nashville, TN with bye's through the first two rounds (as Auburn received the No.1 seed in the tournament, while Alabama is seeded 4th overall). . .

- The Duke Blue Devils played without star freshman Cooper Flagg for nearly ten minutes in the first half - and as the Blue Devils began to run "out of gas," according to HC Jon Scheyer - they fumbled away a 15-point lead to close out the first half versus North Carolina on Saturday evening. . .Scheyer welcomed the adversity after the Blue Devils had won five of its past six game by a margin of 30 points entering into Saturday's regular-season finale versus their in-state rival. . .The Blue Devils would rally down the stretch of the game to pull off the 82-69 victory over the Tar Heels, and secure the No.1 seed in next week's ACC Conference Tournament. . .Following Auburn's two consecutive losses, and after eight consecutive weeks ranked as the No.1 team in the nation, Duke ascended to No.1 in the AP Poll Top 25 in Men's College Basketball for the first time since Week 4 of the 2021-22 season, and for the 1st time under three-year HC Jon Scheyer. . .

- The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Cougars (22-11) punched their first-ever ticket to the NCAA Tournament - and the first overall ticket to the 2025 "Big Dance" - on Saturday night after defeating Southeast Missouri (SEMO) 69-48, and therefore, being crowned the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Champions. . . The Cougars are led by the OVC Conference Player of the Year, Ray'Sean Taylor, who is currently averaging more than 19 ppg - and is also the program's all-time leading scorer. . .Bobby Pettiford scored 17 points off the bench as High Point (29-5) rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to defeat Winthrop 81-69 in the Big South Conference Championship title game on Sunday - giving the Panthers their first trip to the NCAA Tournament under 2nd-year HC Alan Huss. . ."Another Ticket Punched. .*on a Technicality:" Omaha Men's Basketball team (23-12) clinched its first NCAA Tournament berth in D1 history thanks to a little-known & very seldomly-encountered technicality - they were the only team that clinched a spot in the tourney prior to playing in Sunday's Summit League Championship game. . .The Mavericks' opponent, St. Thomas, is still in its' "probationary" period after being re-classified as a Division I program back in 2021, and therefore, are ineligible for a berth to this year's NCAA Tournament. . .Fortunately, fate always a finds a way to work things out - as Omaha would go on to defeat the St. Thomas Tommies 85-75 in Sunday's Summit League Championship title game. . .Joe Anderson scored a team-high 23 points, and 12 of which in the final four minutes of the game, to help power the top-seeded Lipscomb Bisons (25-9) to a 76-65 win over the University of North Alabama (UNA) on Sunday to win the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Tournament, and claim an automatic berth to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. . .Bennett Stirtz made 5-of-7 three-pointers and was 7-for-13 overall for the Drake Bulldogs (30-3) - finishing the game with 24 points & 9 rebounds - leading the way for Drake in their win over No.2 seed Bradley 63-48 on Sunday to claim the Missouri Valley Conference tile for the 3rd consecutive year. . .Jackson Sivills scored a career-high 20 points & hit a go-ahead three on a game-ending 15-2 run as the Wofford Terriers (19-15) rallied to defeat Furman 92-85 in the Southern Conference (SoCon) Tournament Championship game on Monday night, clinching a spot in this year's NCAA Tournament. . .Tayton Conerway, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, scored 16 of his 21 total points in the second half - to help lead the 3-seed Troy Trojans to a victory over 4th-seeded Arkansas State 94-81 - to clinch the Sun Belt Conference title on Monday night - this is the 3rd time in program history that Troy has clinched a spot in the "Big Dance". . .

- NC State fired its Head Basketball Coach Kevin Keatts on Sunday after eight seasons, and the Wolfpack's most recent Final Four run in 2024. . .While Keatts took NC State to the NCAA Tournament three times throughout his tenure, he finished his time in Raleigh with an overall record of 151-113, going 69-84 in ACC Conference play. . .Following the team's magical NCAA tourney run last season, the Wolfpack finished this season with a 12-19 record, including a 5-15 record in conference play. . .Two potential names that have been mentioned as potential targets to replace Keatts at NC State are VCU's Ryan Odom & McNeese State's Will Wade. . ."Debate & Discuss:" Who Should Win the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year Award - Auburn's Johni Broome or Duke's Cooper Flagg?. . .*JD & Spencer debate & discuss their pick(s) as to which player should win the most prestigious award in College Basketball this season? [Share your thoughts with us via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or via Email at [email protected]!!]. . .

- NCAA Women's College Basketball - The top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks never trailed in the Women's SEC Conference Tournament title game, locking up the two-seeded Texas Longhorns high-powered offense & dominating in the paint to secure the 64-45 victory - and to become SEC Conference Champions for a third straight season. . .The 19-point victory was its' largest win in the program's nine championship game victories. . .Gamecocks' HC Dawn Staley (9) trails only former UT HC Pat Summitt (16) for the most conference championships in SEC history. . .The loss snapped Texas' 15-game win streak, which was the longest active win streak by a major conference team. . .

- NBA - Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic became the first NBA player with a triple-double of at least 30 points, 20 rebound & 20 assists (aka, a "30-20-20" triple-double") in last Friday's OT victory over the Phoenix Suns. . .Jokic tied the Nuggets' franchise record for his 29th triple-double of the season, to further extend his career total to 149. . .In addition, his 22 assists were also an NBA record for a Center. . .Jokic continues to perform at an extremely high level, which, to some extent, is surprising considering that this man hates the game of basketball. . .. . .As for the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA franchise was officially down to just seven healthy players in Sunday's game versus the Phoenix Suns - After checking out early into the fourth QTR of the game, C Kessler Edwards would return, and head directly for the scorer's table to check back into the game - with a bandage over his left eye - with just 6:05 remaining in regulation - and unfortunately, this was the last substitution that Mavericks HC Jason Kidd made in the team's 125-116 loss, primarily because he didn't have any choice, without any depth or players to contribute or play. . .Prior to the start of the game, the injury-riddled Mavericks entered with only nine available players - three of said nine players suffered injuries on Sunday afternoon (one of which being C Kessler Edwards). . .On top of everything (i.e., your GM trading away your franchise star player for a 13-year veteran, who was injured & out for the season after playing in two games, your other star player (aka Kyrie Irving) suffered a season-ending torn ACL, your fanbase has all but given up on the franchise) to supplement the loss in revenue, the franchise's front office has made the decision to raise ticket prices by $8.00. . .. . .GSW Stephen Curry has accepted a role at his alma mater Davidson College as the Assistant General Manager for the basketball program - Curry will reportedly help fund $10M+ to support both the Men's & Women's basketball teams - and is now the 1st ever active player in a U.S. major pro sports league to be hired for an NCAA administrative position . . .

- NCAA : News & Storylines - Bowling Green University hired former NFL RB and Tennessee State HC Eddie George as the Falcons' next Head Football Coach, the school announced on Sunday. . .George was a four-time NFL Pro Bowl RB and an All-Pro, was the 1996 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year - after winning the 1995 Heisman Trophy - at The Ohio State University. . .After serving as the HC at Tennessee State for the past four years, where he was named the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2024, George led the Tigers to a share of the league championship & a berth in the FCS playoffs. . .George becomes the 21st Head Football Coach in program history, and replaced Scot Loeffler, who after six seasons, left to become the Philadelphia Eagles' QB Coach in the NFL. . .His record as a HC at the collegiate level is above .500 (24-22). . .Q: What are your thoughts on Bowling Green's hiring of Eddie George as the program's new HC?. . .

- NFL: Free Agency & Offseason Moves - The Seattle Seahawks traded two-time Pro Bowl QB Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a 2025 third-round draft pick (92nd pick overall), reuniting Smith with his former HC Pete Carroll, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter & Jeremy Fowler on Friday. . .After three seasons with the Bills franchise, Buffalo released eight-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Von Miller on Sunday - this move opens up approximately $8.4 million in cap space. . .Following Von Miller's release, the Buffalo Bills & QB Josh Allen negotiated & reached a record-setting six-year, $330 million contract extension on Sunday that includes $250 million guaranteed - which, to date, is the largest guarantee ever given to an NFL player. . .Q: Were you surprised to learn that the Buffalo Bills were releasing Von Miller?. . .The Cleveland Browns & All-Pro DE Myles Garrett have agreed on a record four-year contract extension that averages $40 million per year and includes $123.5 million in guaranteed money - this deal officially makes Garrett the highest paid non-QB in NFL history, leapfrogging Raiders' Maxx Crosby, who inked a $35.5 million per-year deal early last week. . .WR Davante Adams signed a two-year, $46 million deal with $26 million guaranteed with the Los Angeles Rams, per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport - this deal with Adams was made prior the franchise's announcement on Monday that they planned to release WR Cooper Kupp when the NFL's new season begins on Wednesday "unless a trade materializes,". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Rams' decision to release veteran WR Cooper Kupp just to turn around & sign another veteran WR like Davante Adams to a two-year, $46 million deal?. . .The Seattle Seahawks traded WR DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchance for a 2025 second-round draft pick - after the trade, Metcalf agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract with Seattle, sources told ESPN. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the trade of Metcalf to Pittsburgh? Can WR George Pickens & DK Metcalf co-exist within the Steelers' offense?. . . The very next day, rumors began to circulate that the Steelers were closing in on a big-name QB as well - former NY Jets QB Aaron Rodgers has emerged as a potential QB option for Pittsburgh, souces confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the possibility of a Mike Tomlin-Aaron Rodgers-led team, Steeler Nation?. . .On Monday, as the NFL offseason chaos continued to circulate like clockwork - the Seattle Seahawks was able to lock down their replacement for Geno Smith - just three days after trading the QB to Las Vegas - agreeing to a three-year, $100.5 million deal with former Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold - this deal reunited Darnold & Seahawks new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who was the passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 when Darnold backed up QB Brock Purdy. . .Darnold blossomed in the Minnesota Vikings' offensive scheme last season under HC Kevin O'Connell, leading the team to 14 wins after winning a combined total of 21 games in his previous six seasons. . .Statistically, Darnold was very proficient in 2024, ranking 5th in the league in passing yards (4,319) and TD passes (35) - and he also earned his career-first Pro Bowl invitation. . .One month after saying "goodbye" to QB Aaron Rodgers, it did not take the New York Jets much time to sign his replacement: Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Justin Fields & the New York Jets agreed to a two-year deal, $40 million contract that includes $30 million guaranteed om Monday afternoon. . . The Arizona Cardinals boosted their pass rush by agreeing to a four-year contract with Josh Sweat on a deal worth $76.4 million including $41 million guaranteed - Sweat is now reunited with the Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon, who was the former DC for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and 2022, when Sweat turned in the best two-year stretvch of his career with a combined total of 18.5 sacks. . .The San Francisco 49ers informed nine-time Pro Bowl FB Kyle Juszyzyk on Monday that he will be released - and the veteran player will become a free agent - this move will save the Niners $2.9 million in cap space in 2025, but this move hurts - Juszyzyk is one of the last remaining players in the NFL who operates from the Fullback position. . .The Minnesota Vikings strengthened their defensive and offensive lines on Tuesday - agrreing to deals with free agent DT Jonathan Allen & G Will Fries. . . Free Agent QB Daniel Jones is finalizing a one-year deal worth $14 million for a contract with the Indianapolis Colts, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday - according to multiple reports, Jones will have the opportunity to challenge 2023 first-round pick & Colts QB Anthony Richardson for the Colts' starting QB job next season. . .Q: Who will win the QB battle in Indianapolis - Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones?. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 77 - “The Giant Gheorge Muresan Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- Miscellaneous - Goodbye to Our Childhood: ESPN recently announced that it is officially cancelling afternoon sports debate show "Around the Horn" (or "ATH" for short) after a 23-year run - The show has broadcast over 4,900 episodes - and will air its last episode on May 23rd, 2025 . . .ATH features Tony Reali, who serves as a moderator for four rotating sportswriters (or panelists) from across the United States, that debate over a slew of sports-related topics, and eventually by the end of each episode, one sportswriter/panelist is recognized by Reali as the episode winner - and has a few minutes free range where he or she is able to discuss a topic of their choice. . .Q: Which of the recurring "Around the Horn" sportswriters/panelists were your favorite back in the day (i.e., the likes of J.A. Adande, Jemele Hill, Bomani Jones, Pablo Torre, Jackie MacMullan, Mina Kimes, Woody Paige. . .just to name a few. . .)? Do you recall an earth-shattering sports-related story that broke and/or you first heard about on "ATH?". . .Following the news reveal, ESPN released a short statement that a 30-minute modified version of "SportsCenter" will run in the "ATH" afternoon time slot this upcoming Summer, however, the network did not reveal any additional details and/or long-term future plans. . .

- NCAA : News & Storylines - The University of Auburn announced last Friday that head football coach Hugh Freeze, 55, was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, and due significantly to its' early detection, Freeze is expected to make a "full" recovery - and furthermore, Freeze will continue coaching the Tigers while receiving treatment, according to officials at the University. . .Prayers Up for Auburn HC Hugh Freeze . . .Last Wednesday, the second episode of multi-part docuseries "The Tides That Bind," which documented the Alabama Crimson Tide football team throughout the 2024 college football season, was released, and this particular episode titled 'The Standard' focused primarily on the offensive line, most specifically, Kadyn Proctor & Wilkin Formby. . .Formby & his family would reveal to Fox Sports all of the hateful messages and needless personal attacks via social media thay they encountered following his poor performance in the game versus the South Florida (USF) Bulls - Formby stated in the interview that that the "first thing [he] read [via a social media post] read K*ll Wilkin Formby". . .It's safe to say that we're ALL guilty of reacting negatively towards our favorite sports team and/or players following a loss or a lackluster performance, but, as humans, we think we can all agree that there is fine line/a threshold that doesn't need to be exceeded in terms of criticizing individual players (or the team in general). . .Q: Obviously, the Alabama fan base does not have a "golden" reputation, and have been known to jump over that line a few too many times (i.e., fans calling into 'The Paul Finebaum Show' and requesting for first-year HC Kalen DeBoer to be fired!) but fortunately, this group of fans are "outliers," and certainly do not represent the fan base as a whole - What are your thoughts on these type of "personal" attacks on individual players? What safeguards could be implemented on social media to prevent such needless attacks from affecting the family of the individual player?. . .Two words: Do Better, guys. . .

- NFL - Prior to the NFL Scouting Combine last Saturday, former Texas WR Isaiah Bond made a bold proclamation to reporters at NFL Media Day on Friday - stating that he would "for sure" break Xavier Worthy's combine record of 4.21 in the 40-yard dash, which was set by Worthy at the Combine last year - unfortunately for Bond, not only did he not break Worthy's record, but he posted an official best 40-time of 4.39. .Meanwhile, Bond's former teammate at the University of Texas, WR Matthew Golden, posted the fastest time in the 40-yard dash among all WR's at the Combine when he was clocked at an official time of 4.29. . .Q: Does this taint Isaiah Bond's reputation, or most importantly, does this cause his draft stock to fall?. . .The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released a statement last Thursday that "upon further reflection," they have decided to reinstate or welcome a franchise legend back into the team's Ring of Honor - Welcome Back, Jon Gruden!. . .Well Deserved!. . .The newest member of Barstool Sports led the Buccaneers to a victory in Super Bowl 37 and secured 57 wins throughout his seven years with the franchise. . .Kansas City Chiefs' TE Travis Kelce, 35, plans to return for his 13th season next year, as was confirmed by ESPN's Pat McAfee last Thursday - on "The Pat McAfee Show" - when he read a text he received from Kelce claiming that, following his performance in the Chiefs' loss in Super Bowl LIX versus the Philadelphia Eagles, he "got a real bad taste in [his] mouth, and that he "can't go out like that!!!" - Kelce was held to four catches for 39 yards in the Chiefs' 40-22 loss to the Eagles. . .but overall, Kelce posted career lows in the 2024 NFL season in receiving yards (823) and TD's (3). .Q: Are you surprised by Kelce's decision to return for a 13th season? Can Kelce help lead the Kansas City Chiefs to another Super Bowl victory before he retires from the league? *Let Us Know What You Think! - Share your thoughts via Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest OR Send us an email to [email protected]. . .On Saturday, March 1st, the San Francisco 49ers agreed to send WR Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in exchance for a fifth-round pick, soruces confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday evening. . .Samuel called his departure from San Francisco "bittersweet" on Thursday, but stated that Washington was one of his "preferred trade destinations" in part because of QB Jayden Daniels. . .Q: After six seasons with the franchise, and after acknowleding an overall decrease in his production throughout the 2024 NFL season, in large part due to a lingering injury, could Deebo revitialize his career in Washington? What role will he play within the Commanders' offense?. . .The Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on WR Tee Higgins for a second year in a row - the Bengals announced the move, stating they did so "with the intent of continuing to work toward a long-term deal in Cincinnati with WR Tee Higgins." - Higgins franchise tender would pay him $6.2 million for the 2025 NFL season if he's unable to agree to a long-term contract with the Bengals prior to the July 15th deadline. . .Fortunately for Higgins, fortune favors the bold, as six of the past seven players who were franchised in consecutive seasons, would go on to sign a long-term deal later that year. . .Three weeks after parting ways with QB Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets continued towards their pattern of a complete overhaul, releasing Rodgers' favorite target, WR Davante Adams, on Tuesday - Adams finished the 2024 NFL season with 67 catches, 854 yards receiving and 7 TD's in 11 games played for the Jets - Q: Where is Davante Adams most likely to land in free agency this offseason?. . .The Jets also granted WR Allen Lazard permission to seek a trade prior to the start of the league year on March 12th, sources confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter - In all likelihood, Lazard, too, will end up being released - Q: Is it fair to say that the Jets should be on the pursuit for a couple solid wideouts in this upcoming NFL Draft?. . .On Thursday, March 6th, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced their plans to release TE Evan Engram, per a league source, in a move that will save the team approximately $5.98 million in salary cap space. . .and DUVAAAL wasn't finished just yet. . .The Jags traded veteran WR Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2026 7th-round pick, as confirmed by ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday evening. . .After six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, two-time Pro Bowl WR DK Metcalk has requested a trade, and the Seahawys have agreed to explore their options regarding a deal - as first reported by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport on Wednesday - The news regarding Metcalf's request came less than an hour after the franchise announced that they had released veteran WR Tyler Lockett after ten seasons with the team. . .Metcalf's production declined over the course of the 2024 NFL season as he would finish the year with 66 catches, 992 receiving yards and 5 receiving TD's in a total of 15 games played for a Seahawks team that missed the playoffs despite finishing the regular season with a 10-7 record - All reports indicate that Metcalf is interested in playing elsewhere, and with this development, whispers are beginning to become louder that the Green Bay Packers & the Las Vegas Raiders, could be potential suitors for Metcalf's services. . .Q: What are your thoughts - where do you think WR DK Metcalf will land via trade or free agency this offseason? What about the Chiefs, Cowboys or Steelers?. . .Las Vegas Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby signed a contract extension with the franchise on Wednesday, the team announced, with multiple reports indicating that the deal is for three years & $106.5 million - with $91.5 million guaranteed at signing, making Crosby the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history. . .The Los Angeles Chargers released OLB/DE Joey Bosa after a nine-year run on Wednesday night, cutting ties with their longest-tenured player and one of the best in franchise history - the move saves the franchise $25.36 million in cap space - but Bosa's 72 career sacks ranks second in franchise history - this has to be a tough pill to swallow for Chargers' fans. . .Q: Personally, were you surprised by the news that the Chargers had released four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa? Where is the most likely destination for Bosa to land in free agency (and why is it playing alongside his brother in San Francisco?) *Just Asking for a Friend. . .Discuss & Debate: Who should the Tennessee Titans draft with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft? - QB Shedeur Sanders, WR/CB Travis Hunter, QB Cam Ward or EDGE Abdul Carter - *Tune in to hear Spencer & JD's pick. . .Also, let us know your thoughts on the Titans' pick!. . . .

- NCAA Men's & Women's College Basketball - March is officially upon us, Ladies & Gentlemen!. . .There's just something about all of the "Madness" that keeps us wanting more. . .Are you guys ready?. . .Last Saturday, No.1 Auburn dismantled a hobbled Kentucky team 94-78 to clinch the SEC crown after the Tigers' first win at Rupp Arena since 1988 - Auburn would go on to win the SEC regular-season title outright after Tennessee defeated Alabama later that evening on a buzzer-beater. . .UK went nearly 10 minutes without a basket from the floor during a stretch spanning both the first & second half, and committed turnovers on six straight possessions - finishing the game with a season-high 18 turnovers, leading to a 21-9 edge in points off turnovers for Auburn - Naismith Player of the Year candidate & Tigers center Johni Broome, overall, had a slow day, however, Miles Kelly stepped up with a season-high 30 points to compensate, and lead the Tigers to the double-digit victory on the road. . .No.6 Alabama fell to No.5 Tennessee 79-76 at the buzzer last Saturday afternoon - the Volunteers got the job done in 'March Madness' fashion as guard Jahmai Mashack hit a deep three at the buzzer - this was the last part of a 7-0 run by the Vols in the final thirty seconds of the game. . .Q: What were your thoughts on Crimson Tide HC Nate Oats' decision to sub in a "big" lineup, and not call a timeout prior to the costly five-second out-of-bounds violation committed by Alabama?. . .RJ Luis Jr. scored 21 points and No.7 St. John's defeated Seton Hall 71-61 to clinch its first outright Big East tile since 1985 on Saturday - the Red Storm improved to 18-0 at home & HC Rick Pitino donned an all-white suit for the second straight season. . .The Red Storm currently rank No.2 in the country according to KenPom's rankings in terms of defensive efficiency. . .On Tuesday, March 4th, No.22 Texas A&M stunned No.1 Auburn in an historic upset - after coming into the game on a four-game losing skid, the Aggies led the entire way en route to the 83-72 victory at Reed Arena - and marked the Aggies' first-ever win against a No.1-ranked opponent in school history. . .On the following night, No.5 Florida was able to hold on to defeat No.7 Alabama 99-94 in a key SEC Conference matchup - after dropping the loss to Florida, the Crimson Tide have now lost two straight games - and up next: their in-state rival & No.1 ranked team in the country - Auburn Tigers. . .NCAA Women's College Basketball: No.6 South Carolina earned a share of the SEC Conference title, and obtained the No.1 seed in the Conference Tournament, which was determined by a coin flip, on Sunday - this occurred after the Gamecocks & No.1 Texas both finished the regular season 15-1 in conference play & split the season series (1-1). . . NCAA Men's Basketball Conference Tournament Championship Predictions Segment: JD & Spencer provide their individual predictions as to which teams will win their respective Conference Tournaments - predictions were made for the Power 5 (or major) Conferences - **Tune in for Spencer & JD's picks for the Conference Champions of the ACC Conference, Big XII Conference, Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference & the SEC Conference. . . .

- NBA - Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will miss the remainder of the NBA regular season with a left knee injury, the team announced last Friday. . .Embiid, 30, has appeared in only 19 games for the 76ers this season - and out of a possible 902 games over 11 seasons, Embiid has played in a total of 452 games - just over half. . .Prior to the last couple seasons, the 76ers' roster had depth & played incredibly well without Embiid on the floor, but now, the Sixers are currently sitting in 11th place in the Eastern Conference - and following the news regarding Embiid - it seems that the franchise is considering keeping Paul George out of the lineup for the remainder of the season as well. . .Q: What should the Philadelphia 76ers do about Joel Embiid? Is it time to move on from Embiid?. . .LeBron James hit 50k points in the regular season & playoffs combined - while both the Los Angeles Lakers & the Cleveland Cavaliers extend their winning streaks - on Tuesday night. . .Cleveland reached its 11th (and then 12th) straight victory to extend their winning streak, and this is the 3rd time this season the Cavaliers have won eleven straight. . .while the Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 136-115 to extend the franchise's winning streak to seven games. . .Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was helped to the locker room on Monday night after suffering an apparent leg injury - Irving would stay on the court & drain two free throw's before being assisted off the court - On the following day, it was revealed that, after further testing, Kyrie will be out for the rest of the NBA season after suffering a torn ACL injury. . .If you do not feel absolutely gutted for the Mavericks' fan base, you have NO heart or soul. . .Praying for Kyrie Iriving, and that we are able to see him return to the court next season. . .

[We]lcome [Back] to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 76 - “The Stormin' Mormon Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- Miscellaneous - It is an incredibly dark time for the American economy - as well as for Phoenix Suns SG Devin Booker - this is the case because a national treasure, aka Hooters, announced that the company will declare bankruptcy and will shut the doors for good. . .Not only that, but what are Caucasian women supposed to do when Fall comes back around after the new CEO of Starbucks Coffee recently announced that twelve (12) item(s) will soon be removed from their menu. . .& don't even get me started on the closure of JoAnn's Fabrics & Crafts. . .What's next?. . .Wal-Mart?. .

- MLB - Major League Baseball Spring Training has Arrived - The Cactus League began last Saturday, and consists of 15 MLB teams that play across ten parks spread throughout Maricopa County in Arizona - it was the most ideal way for Juan Soto to make his Mets debut where he would hit a homer on his first at-bat. . .Longtime Houston Astros in-fielder & Free Agent Alex Bregman & the Boston Red Sox agreed to a three-year deal worth approximately $120M last week. . .Bregman made his Red Sox debut in an 8-7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last Sunday, but would close out the day 3-for-3 with a HR. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Red Sox' acquisition of 3rd baseman Alex Bregman? Does Boston have a chance to compete for a playoff spot in 2025?. . .The New York Yankees released a statement on behalf of team owner Hal Steinbrenner that the 49-year "beard" ban has officially been lifted for the players - the removal of this ban will allow Yankees players to grow facial hair - but Steinbrenner made sure to throw in one additional detail into the mix: the players' facial hair must be clean shaven. . .Q: Is the removal of this ban related to the team's acquisition of Pitcher Devin Williams (and the realization that some men "should retain a beard or facial hair" for a reason)?. . .

- NCAA: News & Storylines - Last week, it was announced that Ohio State were finalizing a deal to make veteran NFL coach Matt Patricia as the school's new DC, sources reported to ESPN. . .Q: Is Patricia a "good fit" to serve as Jim Knowles replacement at Ohio State?. . .The Tulane Green Wave kicked off their new baseball season last Friday against Omaha in a three-game series at home. . .but most importantly, they did so with some super SEXY jerseys - inspired by the Green Wave's 1970s and 1980s uniforms, these jerseys honored HC Joseph Brockhoff's inaugural season in 1975 and also celebrated the Mardi Gras tradition as well as the city of New Orleans. . .Q: 1-10 what rating would you give to these "Mardis-Gras" themed jerseys?. . .A former QB returns to Penn State as an Assistant QB Coach?. . .

- NFL - It is official, folks! - The Aaron Rodgers era with the New York Jets is over - nearly two years after welcoming him with a warm embrace - the Jets said goodbye to Rodgers with a news release, wishing him success in his next journey - Rodgers finished 25th in QBR last season (48.2), ranked 28th in yearly average career lows in yards per attempt & yards per dropback, ranking 27th - Rodgers won only six of his 18 starts with the franchise, but it remains unclear as to whether Rodgers will play for his 21st season in 2025 or if he will announce his retirement from the league. . .Q: What do you think - does Aaron Rodgers play in the NFL next season or retire?. . .As for the Jets, they are expected to pursue a veteran QB as Rodgers' replacement - Q: Are Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields or Sam Darnold - viable QB's to "rebuild" the position and revitialize the franchise towards a winning culture?. . ."Bullygate Update:" The bullygate scandal rocked the Miami Dolphins - as well as the entire league - during the 2013 season, when then-OL Jonathan Martin was the subject of deep ridicule & bullying, which would led to multiple players being cut, most notably including fellow OL Richie Incognito, and even led to a Coach being fired - Recently, in an interview with ESPN, Martin let loose an important detail that has rocked the league once again - "I never believed for a second [that] I was being bullied. It's a story I've been trying to fix for ten years." Martin stated in the interview. . .Martin's admission comes more than ten years following the fallout of his alleged bullying - following Martin's admission that bullygate was a "lie," Incognito spoke out to the Miami Herald newspaper & took to X/Twitter "It took him 10 years to tell the truth!". . .Q: What are your thoughts on Martin's admission that the bullygate scandal was utterly false & that it was his Mother that first used the term "bully?". . . **Let Us Know What You Think!!. . .Decorated Dallas Cowboys Guard Zack Martin recently announced that he is retiring from the NFL after 11 seasons in the league - Martin was a 9-time Pro Bowl selection in eleven years - and had only seven accepted holding penalties in his career, equaling the number of 1st team All-Pro nods - Up next, a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. . . Former NFL WR Steve Smith Sr. has seemingly admitted to having an extramarital affair with a married Baltimore Ravens employee after being confronted by his mistress' spouse/husband - Smith Sr.'s response over the phone to the husband: "I'm Sorry.". . .The mistress' husband stated that he believes that their alleged relationship may have potentially violated the Ravens' fraternization policy. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Steve Smith Sr. and the drama surrounding his very publicized affair?. . .

- NCAA College Basketball - On Saturday, Feb. 15th, No.1 Auburn defeated in-state rival & No.2 Alabama 94-85 at Coleman Coliseum - after Alabama struggled from the three-point line, finished the game making five of 26 3-point attempts (19.2%) whereas Auburn shot extremely well from beyond the arc with a 40.0 3P%. . .Tigers Johni Broome finished the game with 19 points & 14 rebounds, and five of the Tigers scored in double figures - Alabama rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half, but failed to complete the comeback. . .On Wednesday, Feb. 19th, No.1 Auburn defeated Arkansas 67-60, while No.4 Alabama would lose on the road versus No.15 Missouri 110-98. . .On the following Saturday, Feb. 22nd, No.4 Alabama, riding the two-game losing streak, returned home to defeat No.17 Kentucky 96-83 behind PG Mark Sears 30 points. . .On Monday, the updated AP Top 25 poll was released - and to no surprise, Auburn remained atop the list with the No.1 ranking for the 7th straight week - after receiving all 60 first-place votes from the national media panel. . .As for preseason No.1 Kansas, they dropped out of the AP Poll for the first time in nearly four years, ending the Jayhawks' ranked run at 80 consecutive weeks - this drop comes after losing on the road at Utah 76-67, and a 91-57 blowout loss at BYU, the largest margin of defeat in school history for a ranked KU team against an unranked opponent. . .

- NBA - A Recap of 2025 NBA Dunk & Three-Point Contest - **Tune into this Episode for a Review & Analysis. . .San Antonio Spurs star Center Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the 2025 NBA season, the team announced on Thursday, because of deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder - which is a form of blood clot. . .Unfortunately, the Spurs will also have to function the remainder of this NBA season without HOF HC Gregg Popovich, who is not expected to return this season, and his NBA future is uncertain as he recovers from a stroke suffered in November - Best of wishes to Pop' & Wemby - The Tradition's Finest Podcast hopes that they are both able to return to the court sooner rather than later. . .

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 75 - “The Lean Cuisine & Mean Joe Greene Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- NCAA Men's College Basketball - "The Iron Bowl" rivalry between in-state rivals Alabama & Auburn has long blurred lines between families, friends & peers - but the month of November has come & gone, so why on planet Earth are we discussing a football rivalry in early February?!?. . .The basketball version of the Alabama-Auburn rivalry has heated up after both programs have risen to national prominence. . .Bruce Pearl's Tigers & Nate Oats' Crimson Tide have both recently made trips to the Final Four in the past five years, including Alabama's first trip in 2024. . .Auburn & Alabama will take the biggest step in their basketball rivalry on Saturday when they achieve a first in the history of the SEC Conference - the Tigers & the Crimson Tide will square off at Coleman Coliseum at 4PM ET in what will be the first matchup between an AP Poll No. 1 and the AP Poll No. 2 team in league (or conference) history. . .This will be the first of two matchups throughout the 2024-25 NCAA Men's College Basketball regular season (with the next matchup scheduled to occur at Auburn's Neville Arena on "Senior Day" on Saturday, March 8th to close out the regular season). . .Q: How monumental is it contextually speaking, for the basketball version of a rivalry game, such as "The Iron Bowl" to serve as the first time in SEC history that an AP Poll No.1 & AP Poll No. 2-ranked teams square off?. . .Q: Who do you predict to win this SEC showdown - #1 Auburn or #2 Alabama? (**Be sure to share your predictions/thoughts with us! You may tag us on X - @TraditionFinest -OR- You may send us a message via Email to [email protected]!!). . .

- NCAA Women's College Basketball: The University of Texas Women's College Basketball team shocked the world on Sunday night - the No.4 Longhorns pulled off the upset over SEC rival No.2 South Carolina 66-62. . .The Longhorns' victory would snap the Gamecocks' 57-game winning streak in regular-season SEC Conference games dating back to December 2021. . .The Longhorns were led by G Madison Booker, who finished the game scoring 20 points - and Rori Harmon - who hit two critical FT's in the final seconds of the game - to secure the Longhorns' 8th straight win, and 20th in a row at home since January of last year (2024). . .

- NCAA: News & Storylines - Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk was officially hired as the new RB coach at the University of Colorado on Thursday - with this hire, Faulk becomes the third Hall of Famer to join the coaching staff of the Buffaloes, including HC Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders & senior defensive analyst Warren Sapp. . .While Faulk has never coached before, the guy knows a thing or two about the RB position - widely regarded as one of the best RB's of all time, Faulk was the NFL MVP in 2000, a three-time Offensive Player of the Year selection, a Super Bowl winner, a six-time All-Pro, and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. . .Faulk would play in the league for 12 seasons, playing for the Indianapolis Colts & the St. Louis Rams, and becoming the only player in league history to amass 12,000 rushing yards. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Colorado, Coach Prime hiring Marshall Faulk as the Buffaloes' new RB coach?. .

- NBA - On Saturday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Brooklyn Nets had finalized a buyout with Ben Simmons - only a couple hours later, Simmons agreed to a deal to play out on the West Coast, or with the Los Angeles Clippers. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Clippers' acquisition of Ben Simmons?. . .The trade deadline deal that sent Charlotte Hornets C Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Rookie F Dalton Knecht, F Cam Reddish & future draft capital has been rescinded - reports indicate that the trade was rescinded due to the Hornet's "failure to satisfy a condition of the trade," - and what was the failed condition, you might be asking?. . .Mark Williams did not pass his physical, according to the Lakers, the physical reportedly showed "multiple issues" - and furthermore, that it was not related to the injury Williams has been dealing with that has kept him in & out of the Hornets' lineup. . . ESPN's Bobby Marks reported that, since the trade deadline has passed, the trade cannot be amended for completion - in other words, Knecht & Reddish are returning to L.A., while Mark Williams is headed back to Charlotte. . .AND the Lakers are now in trouble with a lack of solid depth at the Center position. . .To add some stability to the post, the Lakers signed former Kings 7-footer Alex Len on Tuesday evening. . .Q: Did the Lakers finally get their "big man" that can help take some of the pressure off their backcourt?. . .Following the blockbuster trade prior to the NBA trade deadline that shocked the world - both Anthony Davis & Luka Doncic made their debuts with their new teams - and it's safe to say - it went well for one team, while the other. . .Yea, it's not off to a good start - In his debut with the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, PF/C Anthony Davis exited the Mavericks' win over the Houston Rockets with less than a minute remaining in the third QTR with a left adductor strain injury - prior to his injury, Davis had recorded 26 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists & 3 blocks in 31 minutes. . .Unfortunately, for GM Nico Harrison & the Mavericks, sources confirmed on Monday that Davis is expected to "sit out multiple weeks," and that his absence "could stretch to a month" because of this injury. . .As for PG Luka Doncic's debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night versus the Utah Jazz, Doncic would finish with 14 points, 5 rebounds & 4 assists as the Lakers would go on to defeat the Jazz 132-113, and pull out their 6th straight win. . .Q: Is it even more clear now, following Davis' injury in his Mavs debut, that the Lakers won this trade by a significantly large margin. . .

- NFL - Prior to Sunday's Super Bowl LIX showdown between the Eagles & Chiefs, the NFL announced the most prestigous individual player awards at Thursday's NFL Honors Ceremony held in New Orleans, LA - where the top performers were recognized from the 2024 NFL season. . .and the Winner of the 2024 NFL MVP is. . .**Tune into this Episode to find out - and JD & Spencer discuss each of the Individual player awards - from the 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award to the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. . .For the second time in the past three years, WR Deebo Samuel Sr. has requested that the San Francisco 49ers trade him - and it appears that the Niners have granted Samuel & his agent permission to find a suitable trade partner. . .Q: What are a few favorable trade destinations for Deebo Samuel Sr.?. . . According to multiple reports, QB Aaron Rodgers is "unlikely to return" to the New York Jets next season (2025) - after two disappointing seasons in the "Big Apple," it remains unclear as to whether Rodgers will continue his career elsewhere, or ride off into the sunset - Rodgers has maintained that he is undecided on his future. . .Q: Should Aaron Rodgers continue his career elsewhere next season? Or should he retire?. . . The New Orleans Saints announced on Tuesday that they have officially reached an agreement with Eagles OC Kellen Moore to become the 19th Head Coach in franchise history. . .Moore, an offensive-minded 13-year veteran, played QB for six seasons prior to entering the coaching ranks in 2018 - serving as an OC the past six seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the hire of Kellen Moore as the New Orleans Saints' new HC?. . .

- NFL: Super Bowl LIX Review & Recap - The Philadelphia Eagles denied the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl "three-peat" with a dominant defensive outing by Eagles DC Vic Fangio's primal defensive unit, in a 40-22 rout on Sunday night at Ceasars Superdome in New Orleans. . .FOX Sports projected a Super Bowl record average audience of 126 million U.S. viewers across TV & streaming platforms for Super Bowl LIX. . .Eagles QB Jalen Hurts completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards, 2 TD's & an INT, while also rushing for 72 yards on the ground & a "tush-push" rushing TD - Hurts was named Super Bowl LIX MVP. . .Fangio's defense did not send a single blitz against Chiefs' QB Patrick Mahomes, yet they still managed to get pressure on 16 of his 42 dropbacks & forced three turnovers, including CB Cooper DeJean's pick-six in the first half - as well as the pick by LB Zack Baun shortly before the end of the first half. . .The Eagles led the Chiefs 24-0 at the halftime break. . .Eagles RB Saquon Barkley was targeted most of the night, only accounting for 57 yards rushing, but he did break Terrell Davis' record for yards rushing in a season, playoffs included. . .Rapper Kendrick Lamar performed during the Halftime break - Q: What were your thoughts on his performance?. . .After the camera panned to Chiefs TE Travis Kelce's famous girlfriend, Taylor Swift, for a split moment, the Stadium filled with "Boo's" - Q: What were your thoughts on how Taylor Swift was boo'ed by the crowd?. . .It was very shitty, in our opinion. . .Finally, as for the main reason millions of non-football/non-Sports fans tune in to the Super Bowl - the commercials - Q: What was your personal favorite Super Bowl commercial this year? (If your answer is not "The Seal singing 'Kiss from a Rose' by Seal" in the Mountain Dew commercial, your answer is wrong! ;). . .)

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 74 - “The Nick Man-O'-Gold Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

- Miscellaneous - Viral Baltimore Ravens' fan who was potentially facing nearly 55 years in prison for his unprovoked/random attack on a Washington Commanders fan, was back in court on Monday, and received his punishment. . .Q: Do you consider the punishment as handed down by the court to Mr. Callis to be fair & just? Or do you believe that punishment was minimal in contrast to the act committed? (*Be Sure to Let Us Know What You Think!. . .Share Your Thoughts via Email - [email protected] or Send Us a Message via X/Twitter - @TraditionFinest)!. . .ESPN Host Stephen A. Smith is stirring up speculation - and is certainly beginning to garner attention - about the possibility of a bid as a Democratic candidate for the 2028 Presidential election - There is one personality trait that Stephen A. Smith possesses that would certainly make him a viable candidate. . .Q: Is it Narcissism? Or is it his unwillingness to lose an argument no matter the topic?. . .*Let Us Know What You Think!. . .Q: Would you possibly vote for a democratic candidate such as Stephen A. Smith, and could you imagine what a Democratic Primary with him would look and/or sound like?. . .

- MLB - Following a lengthy appeals process, the MLB upheld their decision to fire 38-year-old league umpire Pat Hoberg for sharing his sports betting accounts with a friend - a professional poker player - who placed bets on baseball games, and for intentionally deleting text messages that were central to the internal investigation of his conduct. . .While Hoberg has adamantly denied placing bets - both directly or indirectly - on MLB/baseball games, and following the MLB's investigation, they determined that there was "no evidence" that Hoberg or any of the affiliated parties, took any action to manipulate or alter the outcome of any games - the MLB "stood on business" that Hoberg had "failed to uphold the integrity of the game," and that he "should have known" that his friend had placed bets on the shared account. . .Hoberg may reapply for reinstatement but no earlier than the start of spring training in 2026. . .Q: How many of you operate or have utilized a "shared" betting account?. . This seems like a bad idea!    

- NCAA College Basketball - University of Florida State Men's Basketball Head Coach Leonard Hamilton announced that he will resign at the end of the 2025 NCAA College Basketball season. . .Hamilton, who has coached the Seminoles for the past 23 years, is the winningest coach in program history - and guided FSU to eight NCAA Tournament appearances. . .The announcement of his resignation comes after the recent news broke that Hamilton is being sued by six of his former players, alleging that he failed to obtain each of them $250k in NIL compensation. . .Hamilton is the third HC in the ACC Conference to announce his resignation in the past four months. . .

- NBA - On Tuesday morning, Marcus Jordan, the son of NBA legend Michael Jordan - was arrested & booked into an Orange County Jail without incident - after being charged with a DUI, cocaine possession & resisting arrest and/or an officer without violence. . .Q: Will Marcus Jordan be able to bounce back from this incident?. . . The days leading up to the 2024-25 NBA Trade Deadline will go down in history books - as we encountered some of the most memorable trades in league history (and "the trade" that sent literal shockwaves through the entire NBA community!) - JD & Spencer discuss a few of the more notable NBA trades made prior to Thursday's trade deadline at 3PM ET:

Luka to the Lakers/AD to the Mavericks

Swipa to the Spurs/ LaVine to the Kings

Jimmy Buckets to the Warriors/Wiggins & Kyle Anderson to the Heat

Kuzma to the Bucks/ Middleton to the Wizards

Mark Williams to the Lakers/ Knecht & Cam Reddish to the Hornets

Ingram to the Raptors/ Bruce Brown & Olynyk to the Pelicans

Prior to the NBA trade deadline, there were four NBA franchises that did not make a single move: Nuggets, T-Wolves, Blazers & Magic. . .Q: Which of these teams are you most surprised to learn that they did not make a single one prior to the trade deadline?

- NCAA: News & Storylines - It was announced on Wednesday that Ohio State is set to promote WR coach Brian Hartline to the offensive coordinator position - Q: Obviously, Brian Hartline has been a major contributor to the development of WR talent in Columbus over the past few years, how much of an adjustment do you expect it will be - moving from the role of a positional player coach - to the offensive playcaller?. . . On the following day, Thursday, it was officially announced that former Seattle Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb has been hired as the new offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama, which reunites Grubb with HC Kalen DeBoer - after coaching alongside one another at Washington - during their playoff run a couple years ago. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the hire of Ryan Grubb at Alabama?. . .Will this hire have a positive effect on the Crimson Tide's offensive efficiency & ability to spread the field?. .

- NFL - Last Thursday, an article was published via 'The Baltimore Banner,' regarding allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior by Baltimore Ravens' kicker Justin Tucker, as accussed by six massage therapists. . .allegedly, this inappropriate activity occurred between 2012 and 2016, which were Tucker's first five seasons in the NFL. . .Two days later, on February 1st, three additional massage therapists have stepped forward with such allegations. . .Tucker denied the claims per his Attorney prior to releasing a statement via social media criticizing the 'Banner' and strongly denying all claims. . .The NFL will now conduct a very thorough investigation into these serious allegations - Q: Do you believe that the Baltimore Ravens will release Justin Tucker prior to the conclusion the NFL's investigation? Or will they wait for the investigative findings to be revealed?. . .Per a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Las Vegas Raiders hired Chip Kelly as the team's new offensive coordinator. . .Kelly is returning to the NFL for the 3rd time, and is leaving the OC position at Ohio State University, where he contributed significantly to the incredible National Championship run by the Buckeyes. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the hire of Chip Kelly as the OC in "Sin City?". . . After eight seasons with the franchise, Reigning DPOY & All-Pro DE Myles Garrett released a statement via social media on Monday requesting to be traded from the Cleveland Browns. . .Garrett is coming off his 7th straight double-digit sack season, and while the Browns were competitive last season (2023), they finised the 2024 regular season with a 3-14 record. . .Q: What are a few "Super-Bowl-ready" NFL franchises and/or potential trade destinations that could utilize Garretts' incredible pass-rushing ability?. . .Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp posted a rather lengthy statement via social media on Monday indicating that he was informed by the franchise that they "will be seeking a trade for him immediately," - Kupp would further state that he does not "agree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA," yet he remains highly motivated & healthy as ever - to play next season. . .Following Kupp's incredible stats during the Rams' Super Bowl run in 2022, his overall production has decreased dramatically over the past couple seasons. . .Ultimately, this seems more like a decision - a way to save in cap space. . .Q: What are a few favorable trade destinations for a veteran WR like Cooper Kupp?. . .

- NFL: Super Bowl LIX Preview & Prediction Showcase - JD & Spencer preview & discuss the upcoming Super Bowl between AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs & NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles, provide detailed analysis, and make our individual predictions on which team is crowned Super Bowl LIX Champion:

Kansas City Chiefs (-1.5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles O/U48.5

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast!

Episode 73 - “The Dennis Rod-, Man! Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics:

Miscellaneous - Mesrobian High School, located in Los Angeles, CA, handed Waverly High School a BIG fat "L" last Thursday night in a 119-25 victory. . .but this was way more than just a casual High School Basketball beatdown in Southern California. . .Mesrobian's Nick Khatchikan broke the state of California's single-game scoring record after dropping 102 of the team's 119 total points (and he did so, in twenty-two minutes). . .Nick's brother, Dylan Khatchikan, wanted in on the action - as he would set a new assist record dishing out 35 of them thangs' in the win. . .Dylan would also secure a triple-double after snagging 15 rebounds & 13 steals - but Dyl did NOT attempt a single shot during the game . . .Dem boys are ballers! (or Waverly High School's Varsity Basketball team sucks something awful!). . .The "Master Marketers of YouTube," aka Jake & Logan Paul, announced via social media on Tuesday afternoon that they will spar on MAX's first-ever live boxing event on March 27th. . .Q: According to the Paul brothers "this is what everyone wanted to see," or what "the people have been asking for," but will you be tuning in for the Paul vs. Paul boxing match? Also, after the abysmal attempt by Netflix to host a live event, the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight, that led to significant outages & outrage all over the world, do you have "high hopes" that HBO (the owner of MAX) will prevent such static & interference for such a publicized, live event? (*Let Us Know What You Think - Tweet at Us on Twitter/X - @TraditionFinest or Send Us a Message via Email to [email protected]!)

NCAA College Basketball - NCAA College Basketball Analyst & Commentator Jay Bilas made a very interesting statement on Monday evening - Bilas stated that he believes that "winning the SEC Conference Tournament will be harder or more difficult to achieve than winning the National Championship this season," - Q: What are your thoughts - do you agree with Jay Bilas' stance/statement?. . .The SEC Conference does seem to be currently dominating the sport, with NCAA College Basketball Bracketologist Andy Katz's most current projected NCAA Tournament bracket including 13 teams from the Southeastern Conference, which would obviously be the most for ANY league in CBB history - approximately making up 19% of the 64-team field. . .

NBA - "And That, Ladies & Gentlemen, is the Way the Cookie Crumbles:" The Miami Heat have suspended All-Star SG Jimmy Butler (for a 3rd time in the past couple weeks) Indefinitely, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday. . .Butler allegedly walked out of the Heat shootaround on Monday morning after being informed that the team was planning to not start him - and would move Haywood Highsmith - into the starting lineup, moving forward. . .Q: After Butler's most recent suspension by the Miami Heat, and as the Feb. 6th NBA trade deadline approaches, how likely is it that Jimmy Butler is traded? If so, where is his most likely destination?. . .The reigning two-time/back-to-back NBA Dunk Contest Champion Mac McClung will compete in this year's event during All-Star Weekend in San Francisco - McClung has the opportunity to make history by claiming the first three-peat in the NBA Dunk Contest (which was conceived and started by the ABA & the contest was moved to the NBA for 1976-77 season). . .McClung will compete against Spurs' rookie Stephon Castle, Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis & Bucks' second-year player Andre Jackson Jr. . .Q: Does McClung make history & become the first "three-peat" NBA Dunk Contest Champion in 2025? Out of the four-man field competing this year, which one of the NBA players performance(s) are you most excited about?. . .

MLB - The 11-year-old boy from Los Angeles who pulled the 1-of-1 Paul Skenes autographed trading card has declined the Pittsburgh Pirates' offer purchase the card - and instead, has opted to send the card to a March premier auction. . .the Pirates offered this kid WHAT for this card?!. . .LSU Gymnast & social media influencer Livvy Dunne, who is currently dating the Pirates' pitcher - even attempted to sweeten the pot by offering the lucky person to pull the card an opportunity to watch a Pirates' game in her suite at PNC Park. . .Good decision, kid!. . .However, the proceeds from the auction of the Skenes' redemption card will be donated to the Los Angeles fire relief funding. . .Q: If you pulled the 1-of-1 Paul Skenes autographed trading card, would you have accepted the Pirates' offer? Would you have attempted to barter by suggesting a trade that involves a significant amount of money? [Yeah, us neither!. . .Definitely not!]

NCAA: News & Storylines - Following their impressive run in the College Football Playoffs, and their National Championship victory over Notre Dame last Monday night, HC Ryan Day & Ohio State University is working to retain its' brass of talent - according to multiple reports, star WR Jeremiah Smith has received a $4.5M+ offer to enter the NCAA transfer portal, while WR Carnell Tate has received a $1M+ offer to transfer, per On3 Sports' Pete Nakos report on Friday - However, in a more recent development, WR Carnell Tate declined the offer, and announced that he will be "returning to Columbus" amid transfer portal speculation. . .While all signs point to Smith returning to Ohio State next season - Q: What are the chances that we see a player of his caliber 'test the market' & transfer elsewhere?. . .In other news in Columbus, RB Quinshon Judkins, who scored three TD's in the National Championship Game, has decided to forgo his final season of eligibility, and will enter the 2025 NFL Draft, Judkins would post an announcement to Buckeye Nation. . .According to Mel Kiper's draft board, Judkins is expected to be a second to third-round pick in April. . .Q: Do you agree with Judkins' decision to forgo his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft? Will Judkins be successful at the next level?. . .Penn State Nittany Lions HC James Franklin announced on Monday morning that Jim Knowles has been hired as the program's new defensive coordinator. . .Knowles most recently served as the DC at Ohio State for the previous three seasons, where he led a defense that was ranked 1st nationally in total defense & scoring defense, 2nd in sacks & opponent red zone score percentage, and 3rd in rushing defense, passing defense & sacks per game. . .Q: After achieving success throughout the 2024 CFB season, and with the return of OC Andy Kotelnicki - as well as the addition of DC Jim Knowles - Could the Nittany Lions potentially crawl into the 2025 seasons with a "leg up" over the defending National Champion Buckeyes?. . .

NFL - Part A: "A Calamity of Coaches" - On Monday in a press conference, Pete Carroll was introduced as the next Head Coach for the Las Vegas Raiders - along with the franchise's new GM John Spytek - The Raiders currently hold the No.6 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and while much speculation has swirled that the franchise will pursue a new QB - neither Carroll nor Spytek would confirm, but did indicate that the team will "lean on" minority team owner & seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady as part of the team's plan for the QB position, and will be a part of establishing a "new culture' for the organization. . .HC Pete Carroll will become the oldest HC in NFL history as he is set to turn 74 years old in September. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Raiders' hire of Pete Carroll as the team's new HC? What overall grade (i.e., A+ to F-) would you give to the Raiders hire in terms of organizational growth & its' culture?. . .Also, on Monday, the Jacksonville Jaguars held a press conference to introduce their hire, Liam Coen, as the new Head Coach. . .Coen, who was the OC for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 NFL season, had signed a deal to remain with the Bucs as the highest-paid coordinator in the league - but this deal was contingent on Coen refusing a second (and in-person) interview with Jaguars team owner Shad Khan - and Coen did just that, removing his name from the interview pool on Wednesday morning. . .Hours later, the Jaguars parted ways with GM Trent Baalke, and Khan reached out directly to Coen - and by Thursday afternoon, Coen was on a flight headed for Jacksonville - by midnight, a deal was in place for Coen to become the franchise's next HC. . .Q: Do you believe that Liam Coen can shift the overall culture in Jacksonville, and help rebound a team coming off a four-win season? What overall grade (i.e., A+ to F-) would you give to the Jaguars hire, Liam Coen?. . .The Dallas Cowboys announced late Friday evening that they had made an "in-house" pick from their pool of head coaching candidates - hiring Brian Schottenheimer as their new HC. . .Schottenheimer will take on his first HC position and will become the tenth full-time HC for the Cowboys, succeeding his former boss Mike McCarthy, the team's previous HC & play-caller. . .The Cowboys' fan base - and football fans in general - seem to view this pick as a mostly "underwhelming" hire - and team owner Jerry Jones & the franchise has received a significant amount of negative criticism. . .This hire is viewed in such a critical manner as the team - "America's Team," - is coming off a disappointing 7-10 season, that expects to bounce back the following year, whether the thought process is illogical or not. . .At his introductory press conference on Monday, Schottenheimer, however, seemed to say all the right things that the Cowboys faithful are striving for, but how long will it take for the levee to break?. . .Q: It's no surprise that the Cowboys & Jerry Jones definitely made a "safe, afraid-to-take-a-risk" type hire when selecting Brian Schottenheimer as the franchise's next HC, but what are the chances that this story ends with a "happy ending" rather than the stereotypical "I told ya so" next NFL season?. . .The San Francisco 49ers announced on Friday that they were hiring a familiar face as the team's new defensive coordinator - as Robert Saleh - who during his previous run as the Niners DC from 2017 to 2020, turned their defense into one of the best and most productive units in the NFL, prior to his departure to become the HC of the New York Jets for the next three seasons. . .Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski announced recently that he will resume his play-calling duties after previously resigning from the role during the struggling 2024 season - following a 1-6 start & after the injury to Browns starting QB Deshaun Watson, Stefanski allowed OC Ken Dorsey to 'take the wheel'. . .However, after the most recent development that the Browns are promoting TE Coach Tommy Rees to OC, Stefanski has reclaimed control & expressed his intent to adjust strategies as needed to be successful next season. . .The Cleveland Browns currently hold the No.2 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft - and considering Watson's injury & extensive timetable for a possible return, it is likely that the Browns select one of two potential QB prospects - Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward - who can step into a starting role & impact the team's dynamic moving forward. . .Q: Do you like Stefanski's decision to resume play-calling duties for Cleveland in 2025, and do you think this plays into the fact that the franchise is expected to draft a QB with No.2 (or possible trade up for the No.1) overall pick in the NFL Draft?. . .

NFL: Part B: "A Review & Recap of the AFC & NFC Conference Championship Games" - JD & Spencer provide a detailed, comprehensive review of both the AFC & NFC Conference Championship games for the 2025 NFL Playoffs, that includes individual player and team analysis & an overview or breakdown of each game; the following games listed below are reviewed & discussed more in-depth in this episode: *Be Sure to Tune in to Check Out Their Official Review!

NFC Championship Game: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Commanders

AFC Championship Game: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills

The Kansas City Chiefs & the Philadelphia Eagles are headed to the "Big Easy" or New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX, which will occur on Sunday, February 9th, 2025 at 5:30 PM CST. . .This is the second time in three years that the Chiefs & Eagles will play for an NFL title. . .In the first game or Super Bowl LVII, played on February 12th, 2023 in Phoenix, the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs rallied from a 24-14 halftime deficit, with kicker Harrison Butker making a 27-yard GW FG for the 38-35 victory over the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles. . .*In Next Week's Episode, We Will Preview Super Bowl LIX!!