Triple Play Sports

I guess it is still noteworthy to point out in the description when all four gentlemen are on the show together...because the streak is over...at two. Russ had his power and Internet knocked out by some bad weather, so Cruz picks up the hosting duties for an episode! After a knockout show intro, Cruz, Deitz and The Mad Hatter jump right into how Cruz is the prognosticator of prognosticators for picking Kansas to win the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Once the gloating was over, Scott and Dietz discuss their thoughts on the very young MLB season, joined eventually by Cruz to talk about how regional sports networks and draconian blackout rules have made it difficult for even the hardcore fans to watch their local teams.  Dietz then brings up the episode's namesake by describing how YouTube pulled him down a Dave Stieb rabbit hole.  The MLB discussion ends with Cruz picking what surely will be the two World Series teams in 2022. Scott gets his moment in the sun to talk his beloved PGA, the beauty of The Masters, Tiger's redemption story and Scotty Scheffler's incredible run. Scheffler's streak of wins and top finishes led the crew to discuss some other notable sports streaks and how they stack up in comparison. And because Cruz made a comparison to a NASCAR driver (of course), it made for a perfectly executed exit off of turn four into his experience at year two of NASCAR at Circuit of the Americas. Finally, with no good way to change the subject to the last topic, no matter how hard Scotty tried, the boys discuss Daniel Snyder's descent into what will surely be a forced sale of the Washington Commanders. Surely...right?  Scott and Cruz just hope the new owner doesn't change the team's name (a.k.a. The 'Manders). Finally, the show wouldn't be complete without one more plug for Dave Stieb. If you didn't know Mr. Stieb before, you surely will after this show!

0:00 - Intro/NCAA Tourney (Pick 'Em) Recap
6:05 - MLB Early Season Thoughts/Regional Sports Networks
19:50 - DAVE STIEB
22:45 - World Series Pick 'Em
29:45 - The Masters/Tiger/Scottie Sheffler
44:20 - Sports Streaks
52:15 - Cruz at NASCAR at COTA
1:00:55 - Daniel Snyder & the State of NFL Ownership
1:21:15 - DAVE STIEB/Outro

Is it still noteworthy to point out in the description when all four gentlemen are on the show together, and for the full duration of the show no less? Well, we just did! It's that time again for Dietz, Cruz, Scott and Russ to spout what's on their minds about the latest happenings in the world of sports. For episode 20, the conversation starts with a breakdown of Scott's annual QB Carousel article (which you should read at 3PlayPodcast.com). You'll learn how many teams the crew think will have a new face at QB in the coming season, as well as learn how little Cruz pays attention to football other than the commercials. Strangely, though, Scott and Cruz are frighteningly in unison about what kind of chants you might hear at Washington Commanders games. Moving on from that odd coincidence, the boys are certainly happy that baseball is back! There are free agent moves a plenty with many millions of dollars being thrown at players...which is strange because, didn't we just have a lockout where owners complained about revenue? Nonetheless, in addition to the free agent spending, there were rule changes proposed for 2022 and 2023, and who knew that the crew would have the most lively discussion about how extra inning games should end? Finally, there's the minor annual event known as March Madness to debate.  The tournament always brings drama, but do they really need the pod system anymore? And when it comes to filling out brackets and choosing a tournament winner, there is no one either less competent or more brilliant - depending on your point of view - as Cruz. For Scott, he wanted it noted that he laughed so hard at Cruz's bracket methodology that his headset fell off. You know you want to listen to hear how it all went down...and we thank you as always for listening!

0:00 - Intro/Packers-Raiders Trade
12:35 - QB Carousel
33:05 - MLB Returns (Free Agents & Rule Changes)
51:35 - Extra Innings Tweaks (The Golden Run!)
1:00:50 - March Madness
1:18:25 - Bracket Methodology/Outro 

On this uniquely-titled episode of Triple Play, Dietz, Cruz and Scott discuss the 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame vote and how the Baseball Writers' Association of America manages to make the yearly vote more about them than the players being voted on. Staying on a serious note, the crew discuss Brian Flores' accusations against multiple parties to the NFL, as well as the NFL itself, and how the accusations reflect the broader scope of diversity in hiring beyond the NFL. And then, just in time for a change of pace, there's a Rusty sighting! Russ joins the gang after an excused half-show absence to join in on a conversation about the historic NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum in everyone's favorite segment, A Left Turn with Cruz. In this particular Left Turn, Cruz can barely contain his excitement as someone else on the show actually watched a race! Finally, the boys determine that it is impossible for them to once again go 0-3 on their Super Bowl predictions this year, mostly because there are four people making predictions this time around. Happy Super Bowl weekend, y'all!

0:00 - Intro/NHL All-Star Weekend/Winter Olympics
8:50 - Baseball Hall of Fame Vote/Steroids
31:45 - Brian Flores Accusations/Diversity Challenges
1:06:50 - Left Turn With Cruz (Clash at the Coliseum)
1:18:15 - Super Bowl Predictions/Outro

Happy 2022! As they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same...meaning the first show of the new year features only three out of the normal crew of four. This time around, we're sure that Russ is somewhere still enjoying the celebrations for his Georgia Bulldogs winning the College Football Playoff National Championship. So while we missed what would have no doubt been a top-shelf analysis, Dietz, Cruz and Scott had plenty of their own thoughts about the game. And while on the subject of the CFP, the crew discuss the expansion of the CFP and how expansion would keep more fans engaged throughout the season. Keeping the football train rolling, the conversation moves to the first-ever Week 18 n the NFL and whether it was worth it or if it was just a money grab that served only to ruin the NFL's record books. And how about the NFL coaching carousel already in full swing? Which (currently) open job do the boys think is the best one available?

We want to wish all our loyal listeners a Happy New Year and look forward to bringing you more audio and more content overall in 2022. We've enjoyed the journey so far and are so very thankful to have you along for the ride!

0:00 - Intro/Triple Play 2021 Year In Review
6:10 - College Football Playoff National Championship Game/Expansion
33:50 - NFL Week 18
57:50 - NFL Coaching Carousel
1:16:20 - MLB-Triple Play Prop Bet/Outro

The whole crew is back in the "studio" (as it were)! The boys discuss the World Series and how Russ is happy for his Braves, Scott is sad for his Astros, and Cruz still doesn't acknowledge that the Astros are in the American League. How exactly did the Braves pull off the unexpected championship and does this loss signal the end of an era for this version of the Astros? Staying on the playoff trend, the first NCAA football playoff rankings are out and, as designed, they are generating passionate discussions all around. Did the committee set themselves up with a built-in excuse to exclude Cincinnati no matter how they finish the season? And how will they find a way to include both Alabama and Ohio State this time around? In yet another end of an era discussion, all four guys have thoughts on how their alma mater, TCU, handled the firing/resignation of long-time coach, Gary Patterson. Shout out to friend of the show, Josh Toulouse, for sharing a wonderful story about GP. Finally, in the finest of ways, the crew turns from seriousness to levity at the drop of a hat and ends the show with brief hits on Aaron Rodgers, NASCAR championship weekend, and...toilet paper. You gotta listen to hear how that conversation went!

Dare we say it's listener request time?!?! A few listeners have reached out and asked for timestamps/bookmarks in order that they can jump to the sections that they're interested in. While Cruz strongly put up a fight - clearly people just want to skip the NASCAR segments - we'll begin putting timestamps in the episode description starting now. I'm sure we'll be scolded for bad podcast form (Don't give your listeners a built-in excuse to skip content!), but if Triple Play Sports is anything, it's a case study in bad podcast form! Or, maybe it's a case study in kowtowing to the demands of the fan base. Either way, we love that we have loyal and regular listeners, so we'll at least test the waters with timestamps. If it doesn't work, we'll just stop doing it. It is OUR podcast after all. Thanks for listening!

0:00 - MLB/World Series/Astros
26:40 - NCAA Playoff Rankings
54:50 - Gary Patterson/TCU
1:17:45 - NASCAR Championship Weekend/Aaron Rodgers/Toilet Paper

It's double entendre time on Triple Play! The episodes continue getting longer in duration, and if this were an actual Triple Play on the field, it'd definitely be the longest one ever. All four fine gentlemen are back together in one episode for the first time in months and they've all got a lot to talk about! Dietz has a positive and analytical breakdown of his Brewers' Divisional Series exit from the MLB playoffs. Somehow, Cruz got Scott and Dietz to talk US and MLS soccer, and it was actually a coherent discussion. The NFL gets some love and scorn as the crew discuss unexpected early-season storylines, including whether or not the Chiefs should hit the panic button and whether or not Jon Gruden and the Raiders are scapegoats in the WFT investigation. The show ends with a lively conversation on college football, even though Scotty was trying to end the show before the last segment started.

As conference realignment looms over college football, the boys predict a future of super conferences and a world where TCU is the premier BIG XII win. NFL predictions are in order with week one upon us. Dietz takes a bow as the Brew Crew heads to the postseason with a grander ending in mind. And since Cruz is in the pits this week, it's Fore Right with the Mad Hatter as he discusses Ryder Cup and predicts the demise of the U.S. team.

Hello? Is this thing on? Apparently it still is! It's been nearly two months since the last show (yikes!) but the boys are back! Or, well, in keeping with past tradition, 3 of the 4 boys are back! This time, the Mad Hatter had some parental duties to take care of, so he is forgiven. But for Russ and Dietz, this is the first time in many moons that the two have been able to converse on the show and they waste no time getting into catch-up mode. In a very Dietz-centric show, the crew discusses how he was mostly right about the Aaron Rodgers situation and how pre-season football is as interesting to Dietz as NBA Summer League (read: it isn't). With so many things happening in the world of NCAA sports since the last show, the trio focus on a subject closest to their hearts: The demise of the Big 12 at the hands of Texas, Oklahoma and the SEC. The show closes with some thoughts on the MLB trade deadline, how the post-season races (at least the Wild Cards) are heating up, and about how Dietz has...a "bobblehead guy." Oh, and Cruz is there to sprinkle in some generational ideas for the future of college sports! It's just a thing he does now and then.

The boys are happy to be back with you again, and dispense many thanks for the patience of their faithful listeners!

The boys are back, although once again without their fearless leader, Russ. (Get better soon, buddy!) Scotty comes in from the bullpen to lead the team down a sticky path. Obviously there's talk about MLB's crackdown on sticky substances with Dietz continuing to lament how even the hardcore baseball fan is finding it hard to love baseball these days. The entire crew watched some NBA playoff basketball, so they discuss the Nets' ouster at the hands of the Bucks and debate the many sides of the Ben Simmons situation. Cruz recaps his time at NASCAR weekend at COTA, and - gasp - Scotty also watched a race and even had things to say about it! And we get a Mad Hatter's Rant on the PGA Championship...but mostly on Bryson DeChambeau. It's lucky episode number 13 for Triple Play Sports!

The Triple Play boys (minus Russ) give themselves an A+ for this episode, although Cruz's lead-hosting duties only earned a B+ from his esteemed co-hosts. You know what else seems to be graded on a curve these days? The NFL Draft! Everyone gets a passing grade no matter what you did or didn't do, and Mr. Dietz isn't pleased about that. He may also have a few words to speak about the Aaron Rodgers hubbub and whether or not it is, in fact, an actual hubbub. And since Dietz is back after missing an episode, he's also got plenty to say about the start of the MLB season. And...is that...an apology for Scotty and his Houston Astros? Clearly the offensive  state of offense in baseball is driving Dietzman mad, so the crew talks potential solutions to help bring MLB (and Dietz) back from the brink. Cruz shows back up to talk about NASCAR for a few and can hardly hide his excitement for the upcoming NASCAR weekend in his backyard (almost literally) at Circuit of the Americas. Cruz manages to stay unmuted and discusses the NBA play-in tournament with Scott, who then has a sort of mini Mad Hatter Rant about Russell Westbrook. It's the age-old discussion about comparing  sports statistics across generations that brings this EXCITING episode to a close!