The Draft Board

Our apologies for the delay in releasing this Olympics-focused episode. (Life got crazy for both of us as hosts). But with Beijing 2022 in the rearview, let's percolate on some of the landmark moments of these Winter Games. On the bright side, we have key triumphs by Canadians, most notably Marie Philip-Poulin and the women's hockey team. Yet the scandal involving teenage figure skating phenom Kamila Valieva ties into a much greater (and more disturbing) trend that the Russian Olympic team has embarked on for many years. (We highly recommend the Netflix documentary Icarus, which we reference thoroughly, if you want to learn more).

Today's football-centric episode focuses on the hunt for the Super Bowl. While some favourites, like the Green Bay Packers, shockingly flamed out of the NFL Playoffs, the Cincinnati Bengals overcame all odds (and a poor offensive line) to reach the promised land. They will face the Los Angeles Rams for the Lombardi Trophy in what will probably be their toughest test of all. Join us as we talk football, the big game and the retirement of one Tom Brady. (This episode also pays tribute to Chelsea Finnigan, a former high school classmate of David's who passed away earlier this month. Although we did not know Chelsea well, we wanted to acknowledge her and the tragic circumstances of her death. We send prayers and well-wishes to the Finnigan family).

We start by revisiting some key milestones that took place over the last few weeks. The University of Georgia won its first college football National Championship in 41 years. Former FCS receiver Cooper Kupp became the first NFLer since 2005 to outright win the receiving triple crown. T.J. Watt tied Michael Strahan's single-season sack record. Then we pivot to chat about NBA rookie Scottie Barnes, and why passing up touted guard Jalen Suggs to draft Barnes has paid off for the Toronto Raptors...at least so far.Today's main course, however, is an interesting hockey hypothetical. Would you rather have a starting lineup full of young superstars like Connor McDavid and Cale Makar, or a veteran group featuring Sidney Crosby and Victor Hedman? Tyson and I don't agree, and we view the proposition quite differently. We'd love to hear your take on it as well.

In this episode (recorded Dec. 21, we apologize for the delay in releasing), we have good news and bad news. First, the good: IUPUI basketball fans are thrilled after their women's team downed the at-the-time #15 Iowa Hawkeyes for IUPUI's first-ever win over a nationally ranked opponent. Alas, that fact was of no solace to hockey fans around the world as the NHL has chosen to withdraw from the 2022 Winter Olympics due to ostensible concerns over COVID-19. (Since then, we know that the Omicron variant also caused the cancellation of this year's IIHF World Junior Championship, setting an unfortunate trend).Meanwhile, Stan Fischler of The Hockey News released an article arguing for the abolition of butterfly-style goaltending due to an apparent rise in injuries to top goalies around the NHL. While we agree that more should be done to mitigate player injury in this realm, the idea of a return to classic stand-up goaltending seems questionable at best.

The Draft Board returns with a casual conversation about sports. We talk about new NBA 3-point king Stephen Curry and how his play style differs from a traditional point guard like the (blasphemously underrated) John Stockton. We've got some opinions about Team Canada and Team USA's new hockey jerseys (spoiler alert, they're not positive). Finally, we showcase the differences between Canadian football and it's American counterpart with a zany thought experiment: what if you tried to play both at the same time?

Welcome to The Draft Board, season 2! Your hosts David Song and Tyson Warkentin step up to the plate with a few fresh topics to open this new season. For instance, baseball is a historic sport, laden with tradition, but its popularity seems to be trending down. What can be done to make baseball more appealing for younger fans and a new generation? The answer might lie in the International Swimming League: a three-year old professional swim organization that has revolutionized its sport with a bevy of creative competition formats that generate interest among fans and athletes alike.Of course, some things never change, and Tom Brady being great is one of those things. We wrap up by going over a few truly ridiculous Brady stats ahead of his much-anticipated return to New England this Sunday.

We are back! After an unexpected delay (which we apologize for), The Draft Board wraps up it's inaugural season with a jam-packed doubleheader covering some of the summer's notable developments. In Part 2, we put a bow on this year's unprecedented Olympics before breaking down some of the big August moves in the NBA, from the Draft's top prospects to the Russell Westbrook trade. Last but not least, we discuss a plethora of free-agency happenings in the NHL. What are the Vancouver Canucks doing? Why did the Carolina Hurricanes refuse to pay Alex Nedeljkovic despite his excellent performance in the playoffs? It's been great talking sports with you good folks all year. Stay tuned for the future, and season 2 of The Draft Board!

We are back! After an unexpected delay (which we apologize for), The Draft Board wraps up it's inaugural season with a jam-packed doubleheader covering some of the summer's notable developments. In Part 1, we relive some of the most memorable and interesting moments of Tokyo 2020 before diving into the Seattle Kraken's expansion effort and some of the top prospects picked in this year's NHL Entry Draft. Join us for the ride!

The Draft Board returns with another feature episode: our first Martial Arts Special! David and Tyson are joined by lifelong martial artist Jacinta Specht, a Shotokan karate black belt and Brazilian jiu-jitsu novice. Together, we bust some prevalent myths about fighting and have a candid chat about self-defence. TL;DR: don't be a hero. Any legitimate martial artist understands that the first and best option is avoiding violence when possible.From there, we discuss the controversial practice of weight cutting (with research references available upon request), before concluding with a conversation about the unique juxtaposition of beauty and savagery that is often found in MMA. Watching people fight in a cage is not everyone's cup of tea, but for some, it can be a sport full of honor and fascinating strategy.

Welcome to The Draft Board's first-ever Golf Special! On this episode, I (David Song) am joined by Hofstra University golfer Averee Dovsek, who hosts her own podcast: Why You Suck at Golf! Together, we have a candid conversation about a rapidly diversifying sport, one that many people still hold misconceptions about. Join in as Averee helps me bust some of the most pervasive myths surrounding golf! We also talk about how Bryson DeChambeau is revolutionizing the game (and why that is legit), as well as how impressive it is for Phil Mickelson to win the PGA Championship at 50 years of age.

As the NHL and NBA playoffs speed toward a dramatic finish, there's plenty to talk about as the Final Four for each sport takes shape. Long Island's old Nassau Coliseum is getting one heck of a sendoff, and we begin by talking about why the Islanders' defensive style of hockey is so effective.Next, we visit the NFL to discuss the Julio Jones trade. What did Atlanta get for him? How might he fit in with his new Titan teammates? After that, it's a jam-packed trip through basketball and hockey: the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns overcame adversity to advance to the second round, with major performances from Kawhi Leonard, Chris Paul, DeAndre Ayton and Devin Booker.Meanwhile, Luka Doncic was heroic in defeat and Nikola Jokic took home a well-earned MVP award. Both men honed their craft as teenage professionals in Europe, an upbringing that sets them apart from many American stars, for the better.On NHL ice, we conduct a post-mortem of the Toronto Maple Leafs after yet another playoff collapse. Their rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, have made the Stanley Cup Semifinals, and we discuss why a team underestimated by many has gone so far. Finally, we wrap up with a chat about Mark Scheifele's shocking charge and the continued rise of the Vegas Golden Knights.

It's that time of year again! Both the NHL and NBA have entered the playoffs, and that means plenty of intriguing matchups, superstar duels and unlikely heroes breaking the hearts of opposing fans. With the first round winding down, we chat about what has transpired in the Stanley Cup playoffs: from the importance of goaltending to another postseason failure for the Edmonton Oilers. (Having two superstar forwards is great, but you're not going to get far if those superstars don't have enough help).And we also visit the world of basketball. Are the Los Angeles Clippers destined to meet the same fate as the Oilers? Would the NBA benefit from retaining the play-in round? And is Russell Westbrook all that he's cracked up to be? All this and more on The Draft Board!

The first-ever draft coverage episode of The Draft Board is finally here, in the wake of the 2021 NFL Draft! We open by sharing with you the inspirational story of defensive end Kwity Paye (a story that everyone should hear about) before analyzing each of the top quarterbacks selected last Thursday and how they might fit with their new teams.Of course, there's been quarterback news of another kind coming out of Green Bay lately. We talk about Aaron Rodgers' growing discontent with the Packers organization and how, despite what many claim, it is high time for the former MVP to take responsibility for his own playoff shortcomings. (An unusual take from a couple of Packers fans, we know, but hear us out).Last but certainly not least, we discuss the brouhaha that took place between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers, as Capitals forward Tom Wilson finds himself in hot water yet again. We believe the NHL Department of Player Safety needs to do better in it's mandate to, well, keep players safe, and if that doesn't happen, perhaps the players need greater leeway to police themselves.

The Draft Board is pleased to welcome its second-ever guest star: former high school football player and lifetime hockey aficionado Cam Coates! Cam joins David and Tyson for a lively and largely unscripted discussion about NHL hockey, tapping into the classic rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs (Tyson's beloved squad) and the Montreal Canadiens (Cam's ride or die).We also take a visit to the gridiron this week, conversing about the inspirational resurgence of former UCLA pass rusher Jaelan Phillips before wrapping up with one of the hottest topics ahead of tonight's NFL Draft: will Mac Jones go third overall to the San Francisco 49ers?

18 years ago, the Baylor Bears were embroiled in one of the worst college sports scandals in recent memory. Today, they are your defending NCAA champions. We start by recapping an epic March Madness tournament, and specifically Baylor's unlikely return from the ashes. But as some teams rise, others fall, and the Calgary Flames must look to the future with their playoff hopes all but dashed. Next, we take a deep dive into the Flames and some of their key issues, looking back on what went wrong (and forward to what can be done). Last but not least, we discuss the uncertain fates of Sam Darnold and the New York Jets. Can a change of scenery help Darnold recapture the potential that caused him to be drafted third overall? And can the Jets, a team with a subpar record in recent drafts, manage to make proper use of their newest assets?

The 2021 NBA Trade Deadline is behind us, and the Toronto Raptors defied expectations by holding onto 35-year old franchise icon Kyle Lowry. How does this move make Raptors fans feel, and how might it impact the team and Lowry in the immediate future? Plus, what should we think of the deal that sent Norman Powell to Portland? Join us on The Draft Board as we discuss all things Raptors with our first-ever guest, Sarah Moore! Afterwards, stick around for a look at offseason developments in the NFL and the tumultuous career of former 3rd-overall pick Alex Galchenyuk.

Did you know that a (male) professional basketball player once tested pregnant in a drug screening? And did you know about the NBA star who's only made five three-point shots in as many seasons? How about the fact that a certain NHL team has just gone on a record-breaking losing streak, the likes of which has been unseen since 2005? For these mad factoids and a whole lot more, check out this episode of The Draft Board!

The landscape of professional sports is ever-changing, and this week was no exception. We discuss recent high-profile acquisitions like Blake Griffin to the Brooklyn Nets and Darryl Sutter's return to the Calgary Flames. Also on the table are Kyle Dubas' unprecedented front office success, Dak Prescott's equally unprecedented new contract, and the Toronto Raptors being graced by an all-female broadcast crew later this month.

Welcome to The Draft Board! I'm David Song. My good friend Tyson Warkentin and I kick off our podcast with a sample platter of topics around the NFL, NBA and NHL.We open by telling you folks a bit about ourselves and why we decided to start a podcast. Then we discuss Carson Wentz, and why the Indianapolis Colts are likely the best place for him to rediscover himself. Of course, there was another recent NFL signing that turned heads as well: J.J. Watt to the Arizona Cardinals.Moving right along, we chat about the Toronto Raptors and their current situation at centre. Last but not least, what the heck is going on with Artemi Panarin?