Emory midfielder Josh Grand's has had a captivating journey chasing the beautiful game. Hailing from Northern Virginia, the Netherlands, and Atlanta, Josh's diverse background sets him apart in collegiate soccer. Josh learned at start up clubs like Coach Robertson's Barca and Coach Keph's JOGA before being mentored by local legend Ken Krieger at Arlington DA.

Delighted to have Chris Knoche on to dive into his remarkable journey to the Washington Metro Basketball Hall of Fame, alongside fellow legends like James Brown, Adrian Branch, and Thurl Bailey. Coach Chris, the Voice of Maryland Basketball for the past 26 years, shares insights on the current college game and his expectations for the upcoming '24-25 season. Our chat also covers his thoughts on a busy summer of basketball, including the WNBA and the Olympics. Another fun conversation with the Coach!

In this episode, I'm joined by the following top NOVA high school basketball coaches to discuss all issues pertaining to the local game:

William Hill, MD, a distinguished 'Hoo ('12) and an orthopedic surgeon, is making a timely return to Williamsburg to serve his community after a remarkable athletic and academic journey. Dr. Hill was a four-year contributor and co-captain on the defensive line under Al Groh and Mike London. Following a master's in public health from UVA, he pursued his medical education at Howard Medical School ('19) and completed his residency at Keck School of Medicine at USC. Dr. Hill's innovative technology, Athlete Forever, supports athletes in their life journeys, while his insights he shares with me his fascinating views on the evolving world of intercollegiate sports.

Dave Koesters had a memorable career at West Springfield High School, leading the Spartans to three state finals in the early 1970s. Dave takes us through those golden basketball years, playing for legendary coach Don McCool before joining Terry Holland's first class at the University of Virginia. It's a terrific listen for fans of Northern Virginia and ACC basketball.

Kansas City offensive line coach Andy Heck joins me to discuss the historic 2023 Super Bowl championship campaign and all the elements that went into successfully defending the Chiefs' title. We discuss Coach Heck's role in a memorable season and all the media hype that follows the Chiefs. Andy provides his fascinating thoughts on many aspects, including the legacy of Coach Andy Reid and all the attention surrounding Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce (and Taylor Swift).

Coach Pudge Gjormand, legendary baseball coach and owner/GM of MVP Baseball School, entered this month his 29th season as Madison skipper. We take a look back on his remarkable career in this far ranging conversation. Coach Pudge has led the Warhawks to four state championships, including the most recent one in 2023, and was the first Virginia coach to be inducted into the National High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

In Part 2 of my interview with ESPN investigative reporter TJ Quinn, we discuss more of the biggest sports stories of the last 30 years, including how OJ Simpson changed the way sports are covered, how race impacts sports and their coverage, why Caitlin Clark is such a phenomenon, and why Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neil work so well together in media. We conclude by going back to TJ's high school days and discuss the impact of Fort Hunt High closing after his junior year, and what it was like working on the school newspaper and playing linebacker at the newly formed West Potomac High.

ESPN's TJ Quinn has reported on some of the biggest stories of our time, including the BALCO trial (Barry Bonds, Marion Jones, etc) and the doping allegations against Barry Bonds and cycling champion Lance Armstrong. TJ graduated from West Potomac's first class, in 1986, and has worked his way up in the journalistic world from covering local elections in Chicago, to being a daily beat writer covering the Mets at the Daily News, to working on high profile matters at ESPN. TJ discusses among many other things why the stars at ESPN like Stephen A. Smith are so successful and where journalism is headed. It's one of my favorite conversations, and I think all sports fans will enjoy it!

General Vincent Brooks is a true American hero and one of the most accomplished military leaders of his generation. He comes from a family of military leaders, with both his father Leo Brooks, Sr., and his older brother Leo, Jr., achieving the rank of general. The Brooks family holds the distinction of being the only African-American family in American history with three generals. General Brooks made history by becoming the eighth African-American to reach the Army's highest rank of four-star general. Throughout his distinguished career, he served in various hot spots worldwide, including Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Korea.