Tradition's Finest Podcast

Tradition's Finest Podcast proudly presents Episode 28: JD & Spencer discuss sports the following: - One of the greatest months of the year has arrived...March...Madness, baby! - RIP Lincoln Riley - Women's College Softball: Oklahoma drops the ball? - NBA News: Lebron reaches 40K career points; A.I. statue in Philly; Gilbert Arena's blantant disregard for Europeans & their ability to play defense - Johnny Football has put his foot down & boycott the Heisman ceremony, but why? - NFL News: NFL Combine - Texas WR Xavier Worthy is FOF; Jason Kelce retires after 13 legendary seasons & JD cried like a little bitch during the press conference; NFL Free Agency - has consisted of mostly the "Bills & Broncos" cutting players; Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy traded? - NCAA Women's Basketball: Iowa G Caitlin Clark will declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft & has officially passed Pistol Pete for most points in College Basketball history! - Writer Chris Low informs us of the "Why" Nick Saban retired from coaching - Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson on Netflix? - The Italian Mob is out here trying to fix college football games, most specifically Vandy games versus Alabama when they are 55-point underdogs, according to former 3rd-string QB Mo Hasan - Arch Manning does not have time to "opt in" to the new NCAA25 College Football video game ...and many more storylines in the world of Sports!! Thanks for Listening!! - JD & Spencer

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 125 - The "Dickie V" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: "It's March, baby, with a Capital "M!" In this initial segment, JD & Spencer will discuss and provide a detailed analysis of a few of the most notable NCAA college basketball games from across the country from the previous week, and they will also acknowledge and/or mention the most buzzworthy storylines across Division I hoops. few of the more notable College Basketball games from across the country over the previous week, as well as to dive into any of the buzzworthy storylines surrounding the league. The following games are discussed in further detail in this week's episode: Friday, Feb. 27: No.21 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Western Michigan (WMU) Broncos. . . "The Race to 31-OH:" The RedHawks are chasing history with just two game(s) remaining as it attempts to finish the NCAA College Basketball regular season with an unblemished record of 31-0 - - Miami (OH) entered the week with an overall NET ranking in the 50s, while its' other metrics are not as favorable at the same juncture. . .Unfortunately for HC Travis Steele's squad, the ugly truth is this: If the RedHawks were to slip up and drop one of their remaining games during the regular season or lose in the MAC Conference Tournament next week, it could potentially be a "back-breaker" for the program - or, in other words, a loss could ruin the RedHawks' shot to secure it's first "at-large" berth into the NCAA College Basketball Tournament since 2007. . .Remaining Schedule: Miami (OH) vs. Toledo (H)    3/3 Miami (OH) at Ohio (A)      3/7 Q: Following the gutsy performance that led to a last-second win over WMU last Friday evening, do you feel even more confident in this team's ability to pull off a "perfect" 31-0 regular season?. . . No.3 Michigan Wolverines at No.10 Illinois Fighting Illini - - **NOTE: The Wolverines won their first outright Big Ten Conference regular-season title since 2014, and ironically, when they also clinched with a road victory over the Fighting Illini. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Dusty May's Michigan squad right now? Do the Wolverines possess the necessary type of roster capable of winning a national championship this season?. . . Saturday, Feb. 28: No.20 Arkansas Razorbacks at No.7 Florida Gators - - The Gators took down the Razorbacks in a 34-point romp, which tied for the worst loss of Arkansas HC John Calipari's career, a 34-point loss against the Duke Blue Devils in 2018 while he was the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats - - **NOTE: Florida has won six (6) in a row against ranked opponents, and on average, scored at least 90 points in each of those ranked-on-ranked matchups, which is the second-longest streak in college basketball history (i.e., streak is shared with the 1989-90 UNLV Runnin' Rebels and Loyola-Marymount (LMU) Lions). . .Q: Do the Florida Gators have what it takes to repeat as back-to-back national champions this year?. . . No.17 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.22 Tennessee Volunteers - - Alabama accomplished a feat on Saturday that they haven't experienced since 2021: pulling off an epic comeback win in Knoxville, as the Crimson Tide won its eighth consecutive game of the regular season. . .Q: Where do you stand on this Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team as it enters the month of March? What are a few NCAA Tournament pro's & con's of HC Nate Oats' squad?. . . Monday, Mar. 2: No.6 Iowa State Cyclones at No.2 Arizona Wildcats - - The Wildcats secured at least a share of the Big Ten Conference crown with the victory over the Cyclones, as Arizona earned it outright by smothering Iowa State defensively to give HC Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, the most in NCAA history in a coach's first five (5) seasons. . .Q: What makes this Arizona squad so dangerous as we draw closer to the 2026 NCAA Tournament?. . . -"An Abrupt Exit:" Nearly a year after helping the Auburn Tigers reach the Final Four, forward Chad Baker-Mazara is no longer a member of the USC men's basketball program, the team announced on Sunday - - Baker-Mazara, 26, was the team's second-leading scorer, and started in 22 of their 26 games played, for the struggling Trojans this season, including a 14-point effort in an 82-67 loss to No.12 Nebraska on Saturday, as USC has now lost five (5) games in a row, and is playing its way out of NCAA Tournament contention - - Baker-Mazara left Saturday's home loss to the Cornhuskers early in the second half following a hard fall after he blocked a shot from Pryce Sandfort - - Baker-Mazara told Trojans HC Eric Musselman that he couldn't go back (or re-enter) the game, then sat near injured USC star Rodney Rice in an area with fans in the stands, rather than on the bench with the rest of the team - - Following Saturday's loss, the second-year HC, Musselman was asked about Baker-Mazara's potential injury and his future status at the post-game press conference: "He said he couldn't go," Musselman said, adding that he had not spoken to a trainer about the player's health - - No reasons and/or additional details for Baker-Mazara's departure from the USC program were provided in the brief statement released, as issued per team spokesperson Kristin Keller, who told the Associated Press in a text message: "We have nothing additional to add at this time," - - Of course, the program's decision to be "hush-hush" about Baker-Mazara's departure does anything put this story to rest, instead, it adds to further speculation - as well as to the trolls on the World Wide Web, who have provided a sleuth of reasons for why he is no longer with the team. . Q: What do you make of Chad Baker-Mazara's abrupt exit from the USC men's basketball program after playing in 22 of the team's 26 games to date this season?. .                         - NFL - - "[Slim] Pickens:" The Dallas Cowboys did what they were long expected to do on Friday, placing the franchise tag on WR George Pickens to secure his rights at least through the 2026 season - - The Cowboys used the nonexclusive tag designation on Pickens, sources reported to ESPN, which allows him to speak with other teams when NFL free agency begins next Wednesday (i.e., March 11th) - - Should Pickens sign an offer sheet with another team, the Cowboys will have the right to match the offer or decline to do so and receive two first-round draft picks as compensation - - The NFL set the 2026 salary cap at $301.2 million earlier last Friday, making Pickens' guaranteed salary $27.298 million for next season if he chooses to play on it - - While working out a long-term deal remains a possibility, the two sides have until July 15 to get a new contract finalized or, by NFL rule, the player must play on the one-year deal or choose to hold out - - **NOTE: This is the 11th time the Cowboys have used the franchise tag, and WR George Pickens is the eighth different player - - Pickens' first season with the Cowboys could not have gone much better after he was acquired along with a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2026 third-round pick & a 2027 fifth-round draft selection - - Pickens put up career highs in catches (93), yards (1,429) and TDs (9) while playing in every game, being named to the Pro Bowl for the first time and earning second-team All-Pro honors - - Pickens, 24, had five (5) games with more than 100 yards receiving, including two that came when WR CeeDee Lamb was out of the lineup due to a high ankle sprain - - **NOTE: Pickens set a franchise record with five (5) games where he accounted for at least 130 yards receiving & a TD reception. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Dallas Cowboys using their franchise tag on WR George Pickens? Was it a smart move by team owner Jerry Jones?. . .2026 NFL Scouting Combine: It was an eventful week, with more than 300 prospects in the 2026 NFL draft class heading to Indianapolis for on-field drills, 40-yard dashes, medical testing and/or interviews with team personnel - - Not everyone participated in workouts, and some were selective in what drills they participated in, but several players improved their draft stock by putting up solid performances & exceeding expectations. . .So, which prospects did the most for their NFL draft stock at this year's NFL Scouting Combine? Who is suddenly getting buzz ahead of where they were slotted prior to the NFL Combine?. . .That's exactly what JD and Spencer discuss within this particular segment, starting with the first night of workouts, which included the defensive linemen and LBs taking center stage on Thursday: One such player that drastically improved his draft stock on Day One of the combine, was Ohio State LB Sonny Styles, the son of former NFL LB Lorenzo Styles Sr., who came into the combine as a probable top-12 pick: His on-field workout might have solidified his spot in the top 10 - and maybe even in the top five (5) - as the 6-foot-5, 244-pound LB, had a historic performance, becoming the first player to run a sub-4.5-second 40-yard dash with a vertical leap of 40+ inches and a broad jump of 11+ feet at 230+ pounds since 2003, according to NFL Research - - The former safety demonstrated nice ball skills and looked fluid for his size in skills, too, which means he did everything he could possibly do to elevate his already-substantially high draft stock. . .As for the second night of workouts at the 2026 NFL Combine, the DBs and TEs took center stage on Friday, with one such player undoubtedly impressing the league's personnel with their on-field performance; this player was Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, who measured 6-3 1/8, which put to rest any concerns that he would not reach the 6'3" mark - - His 43 1/2-inch vertical jump and 11-1 broad jump showed his elite athleticism, then he posted a 4.39-second 40 at 241 pounds, which was the fastest time for a combine TE since at le

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 124 - The "Miracle on Ice" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: "Like Father, Like Son:" Four-star QB Gunner Rivers, the son of NC State University football legend & eight-time NFL Pro-Bowler (and the most recent 40-year-old QB that "Almost-led-the-Colts-to-a-victory-over-the-Super-Bowl-60-Champions" & Almost-Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills) Philip Rivers, has committed to play for the Wolfpack, he announced Monday via social media - - Rivers is ESPN's No.11-ranked pocket passer and No.142 overall prospect in the 2027 cycle - - The younger, less accomplished Rivers, is now set to follow in his father's footsteps after throwing for 2,813 yards and 44 TDs to five (5) INTs in his junior season - - A 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior at Alabama's St. Michael Catholic High School, he elected to commit to his father's alma mater over reported offers from Auburn, Boston College, Miami & South Carolina, and will have some massive shoes to fill when he arrives on campus in Raliegh, NC - - Prior to playing for 17 seasons in the NFL, Philip Rivers was a four-year starter at NC State from 2000 to 2003, emerging as one of the most prolific QBs in program and ACC Conference history - as he led all FBS passers in completion percentage (72%) and was named Offensive Player of the Year during his senior season in 2003 - and Rivers' 13,848 career passing yards remain first among both NC State and ACC QBs, and ranks 13th on the NCAA's all-time passing list. . .Q: What are your thoughts on 2027 QB Gunner River's verbal commitment to play at his father and former NFL QB, Philip Rivers, alma mater?. . .NCAA College Basketball: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer will discuss a few of the more notable College Basketball games from across the country over the previous week, as well as to dive into any of the buzzworthy storylines surrounding the league. The following game(s) are discussed within this episode: Race to 31 & OH: Friday, Feb. 20th:     No.23 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Bowling Green Falcons Tuesday, Feb.24th:    No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Eastern Michigan Eagles Remaining Schedule/Next Up: Friday, Feb. 27th  No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Western Michigan Broncos Tuesday, Mar. 3rd:       No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Toledo Rockets Friday, Mar. 6th:         No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks at Ohio Bobcats     Q: Based on the RedHawks' remaining schedule, do you think that No.21 Miami (OH) will finish off a perfect 31-0 season? Or will they drop one (or more) of their three remaining games this season?. . . Saturday, February 21st: Potential "Final Four Preview?"   No.4 Arizona Wildcats at No.2 Houston Cougars/Edward Jones Capital Showcase: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.3 Duke Blue Devils - - Duke's win over Michigan has propelled the Blue Devils to a familiar perch: No.1 in the AP Men's Top 25 poll after claiming 56 of the total 61 first-place votes to supplant the Wolverines, who's stay atop the standings only lasted a week. . .                                - NCAA College Baseball: While the NCAA College Baseball season remains relatively young, what occurred on Tuesday could only be referred to as "Mid-Week Madness," after four (4) of the top six (6) ranked teams in Division I College Baseball suffered losses to unranked, in-state opponents, causing significant early-season chaos in the rankings - - This mid-week upset trend highlights the high volatility and competitiveness that is present in early-season NCAA college baseball. . .In this segment, JD & Spencer discuss the following four upset(s) that occurred on Tuesday that sent a shockwave through the sport:         (1) Arkansas State - 12 No.6 Arkansas - 4 (2) Georgia State - 9 No.5 Georgia Tech - 4 (3) McNeese - 7 No.2 LSU - 6 (4) San Diego State - 4 No.1 UCLA - 3 - NFL - - Former Purdue & NFL star WR Rondale Moore passed away on Saturday at the age of 25, as police in his hometown of New Albany, Indiana, informed the Associated Press that Moore was found in the garage of his house with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, while his death remains under investigation - - Moore grew up in New Albany - just across the Indiana border from Louisville, Kentucky, and after committing to play college football at the University of Purdue, he was named a first-team All-American as a freshman in 2018 - - As an all-purpose player that season, Moore also won the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football - - In his three (3) seasons spent with the Boilermakers, prior to turning pro, Moore racked up 1,915 receiving yards and 14 TDs while also rushing for 248 yards & three (3) rushing TDs - - In what will forever be a "Where Were You?" type moment, we can remember witnessing Rondale Moore lead the Boilermakers to what would become a legendary upset over the Ohio State Buckeyes - - A second-round draft pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2021, Moore had been sidelined for the past two seasons (2024, 2025) after sustaining injuries: he missed the 2024 NFL season after suffering a dislocated right knee while he was signed with the Atlanta Falcons, and he most recently spent time with the Minnesota Vikings, participating in their 2025 offseason & training camp, prior to suffering a season-ending left knee injury while returning a punt on August 9th in the team's preseason opener - - In three (3) seasons spent with the Cardinals, Moore started a total of 23 games, caught 135 receptions for 1,201 receiving yards — R.I.P. To a legend. . .The Atlanta Falcons plan to place their franchise tag on TE Kyle Pitts Sr., likely keeping one of the NFL's top TEs under contract for at least one more season, a source reported to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Monday - - Franchise tag contract numbers are based on the top five (5) annual salaries at each position, and due primarily to this, Pitts stands to make about $16.32 million next season (2026), the franchise tag salary this year for TEs, according to OverTheCap.com - - Despite a record-breaking rookie season in 2021, Pitts struggled with injuries and inconsistency from 2022 to 2024, as he had 1,026 yards on 68 catches in his first season in the league - - Pitts, 25, experienced a major rebound year last season, finishing second among TEs in total receptions (88) and receiving yards (928) last season, trailing only behind Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals - - Pitts and the Falcons will have until July 15th to agree to a long-term contract or else he will have to play the 2026 season under the franchise tender, as the deadline for NFL teams to apply the franchise or transition tag is set for next Tuesday, with free agency beginning the week after. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons' decision to place the franchise tag on TE Kyle Pitts Sr.?. . . - NBA - - The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue of legendary coach Pat Riley outside Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, and the nearly 8-foot-tall, 510-pound bronze rendering features the famously stylish Riley in his preferred attire: a Giorgio Armani suit & a crocodile leather belt - - A Hall of Famer, Riley coached the "Showtime" era Lakers throughout the 1980s, who is currently the Miami Heat team president, last roamed the sidelines in 2008 after 24 seasons spent coaching in L.A., New York & Miami - - Most importantly, Riley coached the Lakers from 1981 to 1990 and won four (4) NBA championships (i.e., 1982, 1985, 1987 & 1988) - - **NOTE: Riley becomes the eighth former Laker with a statue on Star Plaza, joining Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Chick Hearn, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West, Magic Johnson & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. . . - MLB - - "The legaCCy Continues:" CC Sabathia's No.52 will be retired on Sept. 26th by the New York Yankees, who will dedicate a plaque in honor of the Hall of Fame pitcher at Monument Park - joining his fellow teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte - before that day's game scheduled against the Baltimore Orioles - - **NOTE: CC Sabathia will become the 24th player to have his number retired by the New York Yankees franchise, the first since Paul O'Neill was honored with the retirement of jersey No.21 in 2022 - - Other jersey numbers that are retired by the Yankees franchise include the following list (yes! The Yankees are gonna be donning triple digit jerseys VERY soon!): No.1 (Billy Martin, 1986), No.2 (Derek Jeter, 2017), No.3 (Babe Ruth, 1948), No.4 (Lou Gehrig, 1939), No.5 (Joe DiMaggio, 1952), No.6 (Joe Torre, 2014), No.7 (Mickey Mantle, 1969), No.8 (not retired - but the # jersey is set aside for Yogi Berra & Bill Dickey), No.9 (Roger Maris, 1984), No.10 (Phil Rizzuto, 1985), No.15 (Thurman Munson, 1979), No.16 (Whitey Ford, 1974), No.20 (Jorge Posada, 2015), No.21 (Paul O'Neill, 2022), No.23 (Don Mattingly, 1997), No.32 (Elston Howard, 1984), No.37 (Casey Stengel, 1970), No.42 (Mariano Rivera, 2013), No.42** (Jackie Robinson, 1997), No.44 (Reggie Jackson, 1993), No.46 (Andy Pettitte, 2015), No.49 (Ron Guidry, 2003), No.51 (Bernie Williams, 2015) and No.52 (CC Sabathia, 2026) - - Sabathia was a six-time MLB All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award with Cleveland and a World Series title in 2009, his first season with the Yankees after signing as a free agent - - He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, which was third among LHPs behind Randy Johnson & Steve Carlton, throughout his 19-year MLB career, including a 134-88 record with a 3.81 ERA and 1,700 strikeouts for the Yankees - - He was also elected to baseball's Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2025. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the New York Yankees' announcement that they will retire CC Sabathia's No.52 jersey later this year?. . . - Miscellaneous - - "Play Free Bird:" For almost 58 minutes, the U.S. Women's Hockey Team looked to be on the verge of an epic collapse on the grandes

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 123 - "The 3ARNHARDT Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAAM College Basketball Week in Review: Week 15: In this first segment, JD & Spencer discuss & review a few of the most notable NCAAM college basketball games from across the league, as well as evaluate some of the most buzzworthy storylines of Week 15 of the NCAA D-I Men's College Basketball season; in particular, the following NCAAM college basketball games are discussed in greater detail: Friday, February 13th:                No.23 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Ohio Bobcats Tuesday, February 17th:            No.22 Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. UMass "The Race to a Perfect Season:" Miami (Ohio) remains the lone unbeaten team in NCAA D-I Men's College Basketball after winning their 26th straight game over UMass on Tuesday night, 86-77. . .On the docket, the RedHawks' remaining schedule includes the following matchups: Miami (OH) vs. Bowling Green (H) Miami (OH) at EMU (A) Miami (OH) at WMU (A) Miami (OH) vs. Toledo (H) Miami (OH) at Ohio (A) Q: Based on the RedHawks' remaining schedule, do you think that No.22 Miami (Ohio) will pull off what many will consider to be an "improbably perfect" 31-0 season? Or will the RedHawks drop at least one of their final five games to close out the 2025/2026 college basketball season?. . . Saturday, February 14th:              No.17 St. John's Red Storm at Providence Friars: Guard Dylan Darling recorded 23 points & eight (8) rebounds as No.17 St. John's scored eight (8) straight points following a massive brawl that resulted in six (6) player ejections to take the lead and earn its' 11th straight victory, a 79-69 victory over Big East foe, Providence, on Saturday - - Forward Bryce Hopkins had nine (9) points & nine (9) rebounds for the Red Storm (20-5, 13-1 Big East), and the ex-Friars star was in the middle of it all when he was taken down by a hard foul with 14:25 left and Providence (11-15, 4-11 Big East) up 40-39 - - Hopkins, who spent two seasons as one of Providence's top players before tearing his ACL in 2023-24 and transferring to St. John's, was excessively booed during warmups & the Providence student section cheered after each unsuccessful shot attempt - - The Friars were up by one point prior to the bedlam eruption in Amica Mutual Pavilion less than six (6) minutes into the second half of the game - as Friars' graduate forward Duncan Powell committed a Flagrant 2 foul on a driving Hopkins, which led to the fight that resulted in six (6) of the game's seven (7) ejections, that included four (4) St. John's players & two Providence players - - Following a stoppage in play that lasted close to 20 minutes while the officials sifted through the punishments, Rick Pitino's squad took control of the game & took down Providence 79-69 in a testy, Big East contest - - The seventh player ejection came later in the second half when Providence's Jamier Jones was booted from the game after being called for a Flagrant-2 foul committed on St. John's star forward, Zuby Ejiofor. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the six-player scuffle/brawl that took place on Saturday in the St. John's-Providence matchup?. . . Monday, February 16th:             No.2 Houston Cougars at No.6 Iowa State Cyclones: Guard Nate Heise hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Tamin Lipsey came up with a huge offensive rebound in the final seconds to cap No.6 Iowa State's rally in a 70-67 victory over Big 12 Conference leader, No.2 Houston, on Monday night - - Heise was 3-for-3 from three-point range, just hours after his sister, Taylor Heise, scored a goal to help the U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey team defeat the Swedish national team, 5-0, to reach the gold-medal game in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan - - The Cougars had two chances to tie the game or possibly take the lead, but was called for a shot-clock violation with 43 seconds to play, then Houston forward Chris Cenac Jr. missed a shot with four (4) seconds remaining on the clock - - The Cyclones (23-3, 10-3 Big 12) closed the game on a 17-4 run to take down a second top-10 team in three (3) days, after Iowa State defeated the No.8 Kansas Jayhawks 74-56 on the Saturday - - Meanwhile, the Cougars (23-3, 11-2 Big 12) had their six-game winning streak snapped, and their stronghold over the Big 12 Conference lead, was cut to just a half-game over No.4 Arizona for the top spot, as they head into a pivotal matchup versus the Wildcats at home this upcoming weekend - whereas with the win, Iowa State is now third in the Big 12 Conference standings, one game behind Houston. . . Tuesday, February 17th:                 No.1 Michigan Wolverines at No.7 Purdue Boilermakers: Elliot Cadeau scored 14 of his 17 total points in the second half Tuesday night, and Aday Mara added 10 points & 11 boards to send the No.1 Wolverines past the Boilermakers, 91-80 - - Trey McKinney, Yaxel Lendeborg, and L.J. Cason each had 13 points for the Wolverines, who won their 11th straight game and took a big step towards capturing their first outright Big Ten regular-season title in five (5) years - - The win came less than 24 hours after Michigan (25-1,15-1 Big Ten) moved into the nation's top spot or No.1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, for the first time since January 2013 - - While the support system was effective, it was time for the 'big man' to shine - all 7-foot-3 of him, as it was Aday Mara's early tone-setting presence that helped the Wolverines turn the tables on Purdue's usually dominant front line - as Mara made each of his first four (4) shots on the way to a 10-point, 8-rebound first half, yet he spent a majority of the second half in foul trouble, finishing 4 of 6 from the field as Michigan finished with a 39-31 rebounding advantage - - Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn scored a season-high 27 points to lead the Boilermakers on a night in which most of his teammates struggled from the field - - All-America guard Braden Smith added 20 points as the Boilermakers (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten) had their four-game winning streak snapped, and they now trail Michigan by 3 ½ games in the Big Ten Conference title race. . . Wednesday, February 18th:              No.20 Arkansas Razorbacks at No.25 Alabama Crimson Tide: In what is being referred to as the College Basketball 'Game of the Year,' Houston Mallette hit a 3-pointer with 51 seconds remaining in the second OT period, and No.25 Alabama survived one of the most dominant single-game performances of the season, to edge the visiting Razorbacks 117-115 on Wednesday night in Coleman Coliseum - - **NOTE: Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. scored 49 points - the second most points recorded by a college basketball player this season - while playing all 50 minutes, however, Acuff did miss pivotal jumpers at the end of both extra frames that would have given the Razorbacks (19-7, 9-4 SEC) a short-handed victory on the road- - Arkansas used a seven-man rotation throughout regulation, but had four (4) players foul out in OT, including Acuff Jr., which forced HC John Calipari to turn to two players who had played a combined 35 minutes all season - - It was just the opening to the extra period that Alabama (19-7, 9-4 SEC) needed to pull out a game that will go down as an instant classic - - Star guard Labaron Philon scored 35 points, while big man Aiden Sherrell added 26 - both career highs - to help the Crimson Tide win its' fifth consecutive victory - - Arkansas, meanwhile, lost for the first time in its' last four (4) games played, and Acuff's 49 points are the second most by an Arkansas player, and the most points scored by an Arkansas player ever in SEC Conference play - - Alabama trailed by 14 points in the second half, but an 18-4 run by the Crimson Tide, tied the game, yet they moved in front in the waning seconds of regulation, until Darius Acuff Jr.'s clutch 3-pointer tied the game, 95-95, to send the game into OT - - Meleek Thomas (24) and Billy Richmond III (20) also scored in double figures for the Razorbacks prior to fouling out in the extra period(s), whereas Alabama's Aiden Sherrell & Amari Allen came up big on the boards, recording 13 and 11 boards, respectively - and guard Aden Holloway also finished with 15 points for Nate Oats' squad. . .Q: What are your thoughts on what was, to date, the college basketball "Game of the Year?". . . - "[No More Pooty] Tang:" Kansas State fired men's basketball coach Jerome Tang for cause, the school announced on Sunday night - - The last-place Wildcats, at the time of Tang's firing, had recorded only one win in Big 12 Conference play this season, and Tang, in his fourth year with the program, lashed out at his players following a blowout loss at home to Cincinnati on Wednesday evening - - The basis for the 'for-cause' firing, per ESPN, is the language that was included in Tang's contract, which specifically references any activity that brings "public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule" to Kansas State - - This is in reference to Tang's postgame comments following the Wildcats' loss to Cincinnati: "These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform. There will be very few of them in it next year. I'm embarrassed for the University, I'm embarrassed for our fans, our student section. It is ridiculous. . .I have no answer. No words." - - Tang, however, took offense to the University's decision to fire him, responding with "I am deeply disappointed with the University's decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination," he told ESPN in a statement. "I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as a head coach." - - In 2023, Jerome Tang signed a contract extension with Kansas State to remain with the program through the 2029-30 season, and there is still $18.67 million remaining on that deal, as he plans to fight the for-cause firing, an

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 122 - The "Whack Heard 'Round The World" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: Charles Bediako's college basketball career is officially over, Again. .after an Alabama circuit judge denied his motion appeal for a preliminary injunction on Monday, ending the 7-foot center's season with Nate Oats & the Alabama Crimson Tide - - Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Daniel F. Pruet halted Bediako's bid to regain eligibility after he left Alabama early to enter the 2023 NBA Draft, and although he went undrafted, he did sign a two-way NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs & played the past three (3) seasons in the NBA's developmental league (i.e., G-League) - moves that ultimately disqualified him from collegiate competition, according to the NCAA - - Judge Pruet ruled that Bediako did not have a "reasonable expectation," that he would be allowed to return to college basketball when no other player has been granted such eligibility under similar circumstances, although Amari Bailey, the former UCLA standout guard, who was drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft & physically competed in 10 NBA games throughout his two-year career, and is now attempting to regain eligibility to play at the collegiate level - - The Bediako ruling, whether you agree or disagree with the result, should serve as a precedent for the NCAA and college sports universally: in other words, if you give up eligibility and decide to turn pro, and are willingly drafted, you are not entitled to return to college sports just because you aren't the 'star player,' or if you spend more time on the bench than you do on the court (or field, etc.) - - Shortly after the ruling on Monday, NCAA President Charlie Baker released a statement, stating that he was glad that the court "upheld the rules of our members,". . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Tuscaloosa County (AL) Circuit Judge's ruling to deny Charles Bediako's appeal for NCAA eligibility? Should this particular ruling serve as a precedent for other prospects that are attempting to regain eligibility at the NCAA (or college) level?. . .In this next section, JD & Spencer discuss a few of the more impactful and/or notable NCAA men's college basketball games from across the country that occurred this past weekend, including, but not limited to the following matchups: the Seth Trimble "buzzer beater" in the heated rivalry between No.4 Duke Blue Devils and No.14 North Carolina Tar Heels (Saturday 2/7); the Darryn Peterson-less & No.9 Kansas Jayhawks pull off the upset over No.1 and previously unbeaten Arizona Wildcats (Monday 2/9). . . - NFL - - "The 15th Annual NFL Honors:" On Thursday, and three (3) days prior to Super Bowl 60, the NFL wrapped up the 2025 season by recognizing its' top individual performers, at the 15th Annual NFL Honors Ceremony, which were hosted by actor Jon Hamm, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, where it once again served as the forum for the league to reveal the winners of its' most prestigious awards: this included such awards as the Offensive & Defensive Player of the Year as well as the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and finally, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, which were presented by a variety of celebrities (i.e., Druski) and NFL Hall of Fame legends (i.e., Jerry Rice) - - The Pro Football Hall of Fame also unveiled its five-person class, which had already been a topic of speculation & controversy after it was revealed last week that Bill Belichick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft & former New York Giants & Super-Bowl winning QB Eli Manning, had been omitted as first-ballot Hall of Famers - - Let's examine the outcome & discuss our thoughts regarding each individual award that was presented at this year's Honors' ceremony: AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award was presented to Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett - - Garrett, the preeminent EDGE/pass rusher of his generation, he took advantage of the 2025 league year, turning it into a record-breaking season, which subsequently led to him winning his second DPOY award - - Garrett's 23 sacks broke the single-season record that was previously shared by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan & Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt - - **NOTE: Garrett achieved this feat despite being double-teamed or chipped on 39.5% of his pass rushes this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, more than any other pass rusher in the NFL - - Also, his 33 TFL were the second-most by a player since the year 2000, trailing only J.J. Watt's 39 in 2012. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Browns DE Myles Garrett being awarded the 2025 AP NFL DPOY award? Do you think Myles Garrett will go down in NFL history as the most proficient/explosive EDGE to ever play in the league?. . . AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan - - McMillan referred to his rookie season in the NFL as "average," but the Panthers wideout was anything but that - - **NOTE: The No.8 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft finished the regular season with 70 catches on 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven (7) TDs to lead all rookies in receiving yards, and to set a Carolina Panthers franchise record in that category - - Twenty-seven (27) of his receptions were considered explosive (16+ yards), more than any other rookie in the league - - and quite possibly, the most important aspect of McMillan's presence in Carolina, is that QB Bryce Young, for the first time in his three (3) seasons spent in the league, had a true WR1, which allowed him to flourish statistically - as well as to assist the Panthers in advancing to the NFL postseason. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan being awarded the 2025 AP NFL OROY Award? Do you expect that he will continue to be a major threat through the air for the Carolina Panthers for the near foreseeable future?. . . 2025 AP NFL Protector of the Year Award: The 2025 and inaugural AP NFL Protector of the Year Award was presented to Chicago Bears Guard Joe Thuney - - Thuney earned first-team All-Pro honors for a fourth straight season, and paid immediate dividends for the Bears' revamped offensive line after being traded from Kansas City to Chicago in March of this year - - The 33-year-old LG did not allow a single sack & logged the second-most snaps of any of the other players on the Bears' offense (99.57%), as QB Caleb Williams took 44 fewer sacks in 2025 than in his rookie season, in large part due to the notable improvements Chicago made along the interior of the offensive line - - **NOTE: Thuney was tied for the lead among all interior offensive linemen in pass block win rate this season by sustaining his blocks for 2.5 seconds 98% of the time - - Shortly after LT Ozzy Trapilo (rookie) went down after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the playoffs, Thuney moved to LT for Chicago's divisional round matchup against the Rams, which marked the second consecutive postseason in which Thuney was moved to play at the tackle position. . . 2025 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year Award: The 2025 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award was presented to San Francisco 49ers do-it-all RB Christian McCaffrey - - After bilateral Achilles tendinitis and a right knee injury limited him to just four (4) games in the 2024 NFL season, Niners RB Christian McCaffrey returned to his usual, versatile self in 2025 - - **NOTE: This is McCaffrey's first Comeback Player of the Year award after he finished second in 2022 - - He earned it by virtue of his 2,126 scrimmage yards (second in the NFL) and 17 total TDs (3rd) - and perhaps, more important, he started all 19 games for San Francisco (including the playoffs) - - In the 2025 regular season, McCaffrey had a league-high 413 touches, which is 44 more than the next closest player, and the highest total of his nine (9) seasons in the league - - In the offseason, McCaffrey spent much of his time rehabbing from his knee injury and strengthening his Achilles to take on the rigors of another season - - and in 2025, as injuries mounted around him, he was the one constant in San Francisco's offense, playing a pivotal role in helping the Niners finish the regular season with a 12-5 record, and reach the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Niners' RB Christian McCaffrey being awarded the 2025 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award?. . . 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award: The 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award was presented to New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel, who in his first season with the franchise, led the Patriots to its' 12th Super Bowl appearance - - Taking over a team that won just four (4) games in each of the past two seasons, Vrabel directed the Patriots to a 14-3 record at the conclusion of the regular season - - **NOTE: The 10-game improvement tied the 1999 Colts and 2008 Dolphins for the best turnaround in NFL history, as he joins George Seifert (1989, Niners) & Jim Caldwell (2009, Colts) as the only coaches to win 14 games in their first year with an NFL franchise - - Players credited Vrabel, 50, with instilling a culture that placed a heavy emphasis on connectivity, and one such way that he did that, was by introducing his "4 H's" in the spring, where each coach & player shared their history, hero, heartbreak and hope in front of the entire team. . .Q: What are your thoughts on New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel being awarded the 2025 AP NFL Head Coach of the Year Award?. . . 2025 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year: The 2025 AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year Award was presented to New England Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, as he was recognized for transforming the Patriots' offense into a top six unit in the league in total, passing,

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 121 - "The Super Bowl Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer introduce and have a brief discussion on the most recent and/or updated Week 13 release of the AP Men's College Basketball Top 25 Poll - - as well as to dive into a few of the most notable NCAAM basketball games from across the country this past week, including but not limited to: (1) last Friday's Top-25 matchup between the Michigan Wolverines & Michigan State Spartans, (2) the Top-10 battle between Big Ten Conference foes, Illinois & Nebraska, and finally, (3) Sunday's SEC Conference showdown between the Crimson Tide & the reigning national champion Florida Gators. . .As we entered into this week, or the first week of February - and with "March Madness" just around the corner - the Arizona Wildcats & the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks are the last two unbeaten teams standing, and with the release of the Week 13 AP Top 25 poll, only four (4) teams' rankings remain unchanged from the previous week - - The Wildcats held on to the unanimous No.1 ranking for a third consecutive week, as Arizona has its best start in program history, and it's 22-0 record is also tied for the longest winning streak in school history (i.e., The Wildcats won 22 straight games in 1914-17) - - Saturday, Jan. 31st: No.1 Arizona Wildcats at Arizona State Sun Devils - - Koa Peat scored 21 points, fellow freshman Brayden Burries came off the bench to add 17, and No.1 Arizona defeated in-state rival Arizona State 87-74 on Saturday, setting a school record with their 22nd straight win to start the season - - Arizona (22-0, 9-0 Big 12) is one of just two undefeated teams in the nation, along with No.23 Miami (Ohio) - - **NOTE: The Wildcats' winning streak also tied the Big 12 record to start a season, which was originally set by the Kansas Jayhawks in 1996-97- - Arizona State led for much of the first few minutes of the game, but the Wildcats used a 13-2 scoring run to take a 25-18 lead with 7:00 left in the first half, as Koa Peat made a layup to cap the run, finishing through contact that left him bloodied around his left eye - - The Sun Devils recovered, tying the game at 38-all just before the halftime break when Sun Devils G Noah Meeusen made a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining - - The Wildcats, who shot 60% from the field in the second half, scored the first six (6) points to begin the second half, to take a 44-38 lead & never trailed again - - While the gritty Sun Devils cut into the deficit several times, they never could generate enough offense to keep pace with the Wildcats - - Stat Leaders: Noah Meeusen scored 16 points, while guard Maurice Odom added 15 for the Sun Devils, and Arizona State (11-11, 2-7 Big 12) has dropped nine (9) of its last 11 games, whereas C Motiejus Krivas fought through foul trouble to finish with 15 points, and forward Tobe Awaka had a career-high 13 rebounds - - **NOTE: The Sun Devils fell to 2-10 all-time against the nation's No.1 team, as their last win over a top-ranked program came when Arizona State knocked off Kansas in Dec. 2018. . .In the Week 13 AP Poll, the Wildcats are followed by the Michigan Wolverines, which flipped spots with the UConn Huskies (No.3) to move up to the No.2 spot, following their conference wins over previously-unbeaten No.5 Nebraska, as well as their in-state rival in Tom Izzo's Spartans, as the Wolverines are 5-0 against ranked teams this season - with four (4) of those wins coming by double-digits - - As for the No.3 Huskies, they improved to 11-0 in Big East Conference play for the first time since its' 1998-99 NCAA title run - - **NOTE: UConn is on a 17-game winning streak, its longest single-season win streak since winning 19 in a row in the 1998-99 season - - Friday, Jan. 30th: No.3 Michigan Wolverines at No.17 Michigan State Spartans - - Prior to tipoff, Michigan State fans serenaded Michigan HC Dusty May with expletive-filled chants, but it was the Wolverines' HC that would ultimately have the last laugh in this one: Forward Yaxel Lendeborg had 26 points & 12 rebounds, guards Elliot Cadeau scored 17 and Morez Johnson added 12 points to lead No.3 Michigan to an 83-71 victory over the 17th-ranked Spartans in East Lansing on Friday night - - With the win, the Wolverines (20-1, 10-1 Big Ten) moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten Conference, whereas the Spartans (19-3, 9-2 Big Ten) missed 14 of their 18 shots (22%), and they finished the first half with more turnovers (11) than FGM (7) and trailed the Wolverines by 16 points at the halftime break - - Michigan State went on a 13-2 run early in the second half to pull within three (3) points and F Jaxon Kohler, who finished the game with 12 points, made a game-tying 3-pointer with 7:57 left in regulation - - G Jeremy Fears, who scored a career-high 31 points, had a steal and a layup that put the Spartans ahead 57-55 with 7:27 to go for their first lead of the game. . .but that didn't last too long. . .as Michigan responded with clutch shooting, making 5 of 6 shots, while holding Michigan State scoreless for more than three (3) minutes to seal its sixth straight victory, and as Michigan finished the game on a 19-8 run in the final four (4) minutes of regulation - - Stat Leaders: Forwards Coen Carr & Jordan Scott each scored 10 points for the Spartans, whose seven-game winning streak was snapped by the Wolverines - - Michigan had a big advantage in outside shooting, making 8 of 21 (38%) of their three-point shots, while Michigan State missed 19 of 23 (17%) shots from beyond the arc - - "No Love Lost:" Michigan HC Dusty May & Michigan State HC Tom Izzo accused each other's team of "dirty play" after the Wolverines' 83-71 victory on Friday, as during one particular sequence in the game, Michigan State star guard Jeremy Fears made contact with Yaxel Lendeborg, appearing to trip the Michigan star forward, and with May claiming that the act was "intentional," whereas Izzo responded that it was "the result of heated competition," but this back & forth between the two coaches will most certainly stir the pot and/or add fuel to the fire of this in-state rivalry between the Wolverines and Spartans. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the accusatory comments made at the press conference on Monday by Michigan HC Dusty May and Michigan State HC Tom Izzo? - - At No.4 in this week's AP Top 25 poll is Duke, as the Blue Devils are 20-1, its fewest games required to reach 20 wins since the 2007-08 season, and at No.5 is the Illinois Fighting Illini - - **NOTE: The Big Ten Conference continues to have two teams the top five, with Illinois replacing Nebraska as the final team, after the Cornhuskers dropped two straight games this past week (i.e., at Michigan, vs. Illinois): Illini freshman guard Keaton Wagler is the first player in AP poll history to score 25 or more points in multiple road wins against top five opponents this season (i.e., 46 in road win over Purdue & 28 points this weekend over Nebraska) - as the Cornhuskers remain in the top 10, however, they did slide down four (4) spots to No.9 this week - - Sunday, Feb. 1st: No.9 Illinois Fighting Illini at No.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers - - Freshman guard Keaton Wagler scored 28 points as No.9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, defeating No.5 Nebraska 78-69 on Sunday in the first top-10 matchup the Cornhuskers have hosted - - The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven't lost a game since an 83-80 loss at home to Nebraska back on Dec.13, held the Huskers to four (4) FGs in the first 13 minutes of the second half - - The Cornhuskers (20-2, 9-2 Big Ten) lost its second consecutive game, after they lost to No.3 Michigan on the road last Tuesday, which ended their 24-game win streak dating back to last season - - Stat Leaders: F Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, C Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and F David Mirkovic had 10, whereas F Braden Frager - who returned for the Cornhuskers after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury - scored 20 points, F Pryce Sandfort added 14 points, guards Sam Hoiberg & Jamarques Lawrence scored 13 and 10 points, respectively - - Nebraska hit 11 of 20 (55%) of its 3-point attempts before halftime to take a 39-33 lead into the halftime break, however, the 'Huskers came out flat, only making four (4) 3-pointers in the second half against a tightened Illinois defense - - The Illini outscored Nebraska 18-8 to open the second half, as Keaton Wagler nailed a 3-pointer with 13:05 remaining to put Illinois ahead 49-47, a lead it did not relinquish - as the Huskers trailed by at least seven (7) points the rest of the way - - While Illinois made nine (9) 3-pointers to 15 for Nebraska, the Illini dominated the free-throw line, outscoring the Huskers 21-4, and they also had a 10-point edge in the paint & 40-27 advantage in rebounds - - Gonzaga remained at No.6, while Iowa State & Houston climbed one spot apiece (No.7 and No.8, respectively) - - Following their loss to in-state rival Michigan, the Michigan State Spartans fell three (3) spots to No.10 - - Tuesday, Feb. 3rd: No.23 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at Buffalo Bulls - - Guard Luke Skaljac scored a career-high 19 points as No.23 Miami (Ohio) once again avoided the upset, held on for the 73-71 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday night, extending the longest winning streak in MAC Conference history to 23 games - - Stat Leaders: G Brant Byers added 11 points for the RedHawks (23-0, 11-0 MAC), and Peter Suder finished with 10 points, 8 assists & 5 boards, whereas guards Angelo Brizzi scored 22 points & Daniel Freitag had 18 to lead Buffalo (14-9, 4-7 MAC) - - The Bulls have now lost seven (7) their last eight (8) games following a 13-2 start to the regular season, which was the second-best in the program's history at the D-1 level - - **NOTE: Miami's 7

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 120 - "The Immaculate Reception Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: In the first part of this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss & analyze a few of the most notable games from Week 13 of the NCAA College Basketball season, that has occurred within the past week, beginning with a Big 12 Conference matchup between the unanimous No.1 team in this week's AP Top 25 Poll for a fifth straight week, the Arizona Wildcats, and the No.13 BYU Cougars: Guard Brayden Burries scored 29 points and made a game-saving block in the final seconds as top-ranked Arizona remained undefeated by holding off a furious rally from No.13 BYU for an 86-83 victory on Monday night - - PG Jaden Bradley added 26 points for the Wildcats (21-0, 8-0 Big 12), who has now matched the best start in program history - - Fellow freshman AJ Dybantsa led the Cougars (17-3, 5-2 Big 12) with 24 points but struggled, shooting 25% from the field and 1-of-8 from the 3-point line, while guards Richie Saunders & Kennard Davis Jr., contributed 18 and 17 points, respectively - - After trailing by 19 points midway through the second half, the Cougars were able to trim the deficit to one with a 12-2 run that began with just more than a minute left - as forward Keba Keita's putback dunk pulled the Cougars to within 84-83 with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation - and after which, the Cougars would force a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play: On the next play, BYU guard Robert Wright III drove toward the rim and wriggled free for what appeared to be a good look at the basket, but Wildcats guard Brayden Burries said "Nah!" - - Burries came flying over from the weak side to block Wright's shot from behind, and the freshman guard was able to grab the loose ball & converted two free throws prior to BYU missing on a long heave at the buzzer - - Burries finished the game 13-of-15 at the foul line, and added five rebounds, four assists & three steals for the Wildcats, who handed BYU its first home loss despite the Cougars finishing the game shooting 50% from long distance after the halftime break. . .Q: What are your thoughts on this Arizona Wildcat basketball team? What's it going to take for a team to pull off the upset over Tommy Lloyd's squad?. . ."Purdue University is Really Going Through it:"No.12 Purdue Boilermakers at Indiana Hoosiers - - Guard(s) Lamar Wilkerson had 19 points, Nick Dorn had 18, and Conor Enright scored five of his eight points in the final 1:11 to help Indiana complete the upset over No.12 Purdue 72-67 on Tuesday night - - The Hoosiers (14-7, 5-5 Big Ten) have now won two consecutive games, and this is, to date, the most impressive win under HC Darian DeVries - and it came in his first matchup against Indiana's bitter in-state rival - and on the same night that college football's new national champions, were honored during a pre-game ceremony, on the same court where Hoosiers football coach Curt Cignetti once proclaimed "Purdue sucks," - - **NOTE: Following their win on Tuesday night, the Hoosiers have defeated ranked Boilermakers teams in four of their last five matchups at home - - F/C Trey Kaufman-Renn led the Boilermakers (17-4, 7-3 Big Ten) with 23 points and senior guard Braden Smith added 14 points, five rebounds & five assists, but it just wasn't enough for Purdue to avoid extending their losing streak to a season-worst three games - - Purdue did not look like itself: Indiana negated the Boilermakers' perceived advantage in the post, outrebounding them 33-28 while only being outscored 24-18 in the paint, in a game that had all the elements of a rivalry. . .No.5 Nebraska Cornhuskers at No.3 Michigan Wolverines - - Guard Trey McKenney made a tiebreaking layup with 1:07 remaining as No.3 Michigan rallied past No.5 Nebraska 75-72 on Tuesday night to hand the Cornhuskers their first loss of the season (20-1, 9-1 Big Ten): Forward Morez Johnson Jr. had 17 points & 12 rebounds for the Wolverines (19-1, 9-1 Big Ten), who trailed for more than 36 minutes prior to holding Nebraska scoreless over the final 3:20 in regulation: Guard Jamarques Lawrence missed a 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining for the short-handed Cornhuskers, and guard Sam Hoiberg missed on a jumper just before the buzzer, as Nebraska played this game without F Rienk Mast (illness) and F Braden Frager (sprained ankle), who missed his second consecutive game - - **NOTE: Nebraska had won 24 straight games dating back to last season, including four victories in the inaugural College Basketball Crown Tournament in Las Vegas last April - - McKenney had 11 points off the bench for the Wolverines, while forwards Yaxel Lendeborg & Aday Mara both scored 10 points apiece, whereas the Huskers' Lawrence scored 16 of his 20 points in the opening 10 minutes of the game, and Pryce Sandfort also finished with 20 points for Nebraska, while Sam Hoiberg finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists & four steals - - Following the Cornhuskers' loss to Michigan on Tuesday night, there are only two unbeaten teams remaining in D-1 College Basketball: No.1 Arizona & No.24 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks. . .Q: At the halfway point of the NCAA College Basketball season, what team do you expect to win what is currently a "wide-open" Big Ten Conference title race?. . . - NCAA College Football: In this week's "Tradition's Finest Top College Football Games of 2025," (aka Season Close-Out) segment, JD & Spencer discuss the current state of college football - both on & off the field - as well as the ramifications if some type of regulation is not introduced to the sport rather sooner than later - - The 2025 College Football season offered us: epic upsets, dynamite playoff games, iconic plays (i.e., you probably know exactly what we're referring to if we mention "Cooper's Catch," or the "Chambliss' Scramble," or "Mendoza's Leap,"), and our first incredible national title game in eight years. .and for that, we are forever grateful! - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer provide detailed analysis for a few of the most memorable and/or our favorite CFB games from the 2025 college football season (**Let us know your thoughts on the game(s) discussed within this episode, as well as 'honorable mentions,' that were not discussed - feel free to reach out to us via X/Twitter - @TraditionsFinest and/or send us a message to Traditions.Finest@Gmail.com!!). . .The College Football Playoff will remain a 12-team field next season (2026), the CFP's management committee announced last Friday afternoon - - The decision gives the CFP and Conference commissioners additional time to consider the playoff's expansion to possibly a 16- or 24-team format in the future, a move all sides of the discussion could not agree on at this time, with the biggest contention existing between the Big Ten and SEC Conference(s) on the immediate direction of the playoff: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has publicly supported a 16-team model, but Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti would agree to this particular model only if Sankey committed to a 24-team field after three years, sources told ESPN, however, multiple sources have stated that this is not something that Sankey was necessarily ready to commit too at this time - - This stalemate between the Big Ten and SEC Conferences, which has existed for months, will continue to be a topic of interest as it is believed by many, that, if Petitti can convince Sankey to agree to a 16-team model (and a 24-team model three years later), it's likely that Conference Championship games are out the window. . .Q: What are your thoughts on next year's College Football Playoff retaining the 12-team (or most current) format? Do you expect the SEC and Big Ten Conferences to end this stalemate regarding the structure of the playoff field?. . ."Do Not Tamper with Tigers:" Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney lambasted Ole Miss HC Pete Golding for allegedly making direct, repeated overtures to lure LB Luke Ferrelli into the NCAA transfer portal after he had already signed a contract & enrolled in classes at Clemson University, calling it a "straightforward case of tampering," and imploring his coaching colleagues to "be an example to young coaches in this profession and be people of integrity or shut your mouth and don't complain," - - Ferrelli, one of the country's top freshman defenders in 2025 at Cal, entered the portal in January, and Swinney detailed a two-week process that followed in which Ferrelli visited Ole Miss and Clemson, agreed to a revenue-sharing contract with the Tigers, rented an apartment, purchased a car, enrolled in & attended classes at the University, and begun offseason workouts there - - Poor Dabo, it seems as though, he did not receive the memo that explained that the NCAA does not penalize programs for "tampering," with athletes, who have already committed & signed with another program: this modern version of college sports is set up much like an Auction, with the player being purchased by the highest bidder. . .Q: What specific guardrails should the NCAA implement to prevent this type of blatant tampering from occurring throughout college sports, most notably college football?. . .Ohio State is finalizing a deal to make former Pittsburgh Steelers playcaller Arthur Smith it's OC, a source informed ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday - - Smith will replace Brian Hartline, who was recently named the HC at the University of South Florida (USF) - - Smith spent the past two seasons with the Steelers under HC Mike Tomlin, and prior to that, he was the HC for the Atlanta Falcons, compiling a record of 21-30 over three seasons, and he also held stints at the University of Georgia as well as Southern Miss - - This past season, under Smith, the Steelers ranked 15th in the NFL averaging 23.4 points per game, and while he will transition back to th

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 119 - The inVINCEible Bowl Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: It has been our intention to discuss and/or cover NCAA Men's College Basketball in some capacity since the beginning of the 2025-26 College Basketball season, however, and due to multiple factors, we have not dove into the sport near as much as we preferred. . .But, do we have some fantastic news for you Round-ball fans, this week's episode features a discussion and/or Week 11 update; such topics as the following are discussed in this particular segment: (I) the dominance of the Arizona Wildcats (18-0) & being ranked the unanimous No.1 team in Monday's AP Top 25 poll for the first time in program history, receiving all 61 votes, just a week after picking up all but one first-place votes (60); (II) the rise & fall of the Iowa State Cyclones; (III) a few other notable programs that are making waves thru Week 11 of the regular season (i.e., No.7 Nebraska (18-0), No.24 Saint Louis (17-1) & No.25 Miami (Ohio)); (IV) the "Rising/Falling" programs of the AP Top 25 (i.e., No.18 Clemson - ⬆️ four spots; No.12 Texas Tech - ⬆️ three spots; No.22 North Carolina - ⬇️ eight spots after losses last week to Stanford & Cal; No.9 Iowa State ⬇️ seven spots after losses to unranked Kansas & Cincinnati; No.15 Vanderbilt - ⬇️ five spots after losses to Texas & No.16 Florida); and (V) those programs that are "In & Out" of this week's updated poll rankings - A "Welcome Back" to No.19 Kansas, First Timers Saint Louis & Miami (Ohio) & So Long Goodbye to Tennessee (⬇️ from No.24 after blowing a 17-point lead versus Kentucky last week; Utah State (⬇️ from No.23 after suffering loss on the road to Grand Canyon); and Seton Hall (⬇️ from No.25 after suffering back-to-back losses to UConn and Butler). . .In a case that could potentially reshape college basketball & college sports in general, former Alabama standout/center Charles Bediako - who entered the 2023 NBA Draft and he went on to sign a two-way NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs later that same year - has been granted a temporary restraining order (or a TRO) to return to the team and college basketball immediately, a Tuscaloosa County (AL) judge ruled early Wednesday morning — Bediako, who has played in the G-League for the previous two seasons, went undrafted & never appeared in an NBA game after he played on two NCAA Tournament teams while enrolled at the University of Alabama (i.e., 2020-21 & 2022-23), filed a lawsuit to sue the NCAA a day prior after it denied the school's appeal to allow him to return to the sport, citing the similar situation with James Nnaji & Baylor University — **NOTE: This is the first time a player who entered an NBA draft and signed a contract after playing college basketball has been given the chance to return to Division I college basketball. . .and it's reception has been met with much controversy and speculation — The Tuscaloosa Co. (AL) judge's monumental ruling was made just hours after NCAA President Charlie Baker reiterated that Bediako and other players who have signed NBA contracts would not be granted eligibility to play college basketball — Based on the NCAA's five-year window, Bediako can join the Nate Oats & the Crimson Tide for the rest of the regular season - depending on what happens at his next hearing - before his eligibility is exhausted — Bediako will join a Crimson Tide basketball team as it wades through its' defensive struggles (i.e., currently ranks 67th in adjusted defensive efficiency) as Alabama is scheduled to face off against the Tennessee Volunteers in Tuscaloosa on Saturday - and the question on everyone's mind: Will Charles Bediako suit up for the Crimson Tide on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum. . .Q: What do you think: Is there a chance that Charles Bediako will actually see the court against Tennessee on Saturday? Or at any point throughout the remainder of the 2025-26 NCAA college basketball regular season?. . . - NCAA College Football: It should come as little surprise that DI college football is experiencing similar issues as that of college basketball. . .Let's discuss the situation and controversy surrounding Duke QB Darian Mensah: While approximately 4,500 college football players were just waiting around for the NCAA transfer portal to open where they could make their entry & state their claim at a new program the following season, QB Darian Mensah, who led the ACC Conference in passing yards (3,973) this season as well as led the Duke Blue Devils to play the role of CFP spoiler after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC Conference Championship Game, had made the decision on Dec. 19th to return for the Blue Devils as a redshirt junior next season after exploring the possibility of entering the 2026 NFL Draft (he was rated as the No.5 QB on Mel Kiper Jr.'s QB ranking board for the 2026 NFL Draft prior to his decision) — Fast forward to Friday, Jan.16th (2026), Duke QB Darian Mensah, who has two years of eligibility remaining after playing for Tulane prior to his one season at Duke, had changed his mind, and decided to submit his request for transfer paperwork, ahead of the 12:00 p.m. ET deadline for FBS and FCS players to enter the NCAA transfer portal. . .Tampering, much?. . .Miami looms as the expected favorite to land Mensah when he officially becomes available - as the Hurricanes have signed transfer QBs in consecutive seasons (i.e., Cam Ward & Carson Beck) - and did not land a QB out of the two-week transfer portal window that opened on Jan. 2nd -- Per On3, Duke has filed a lawsuit, thus suing Darian Mensah, claiming that he breached a multiyear NIL contract that was scheduled to end on Dec. 31st, 2026, and furthermore, Mensah is permitted to enter the transfer portal, but he can't enroll or play college football for another program prior to the Durham (N.C.) County judge rules on Duke's request for an injunction that would prevent him from leaving. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the multiple reports that Darian Mensah "changed his mind," thus making the decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal after committing to return to Duke next season? Do you suspect that there are any programs out there tampering with the Duke QB? Is there a legit possibility that QB Darian Mensah is forced to sit out the entire 2026-27 NCAA college football season after attempting to breach his contract with Duke University? . .2026 NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship Game Review: To understand just how improbable the Indiana Hoosiers' 16-0 "perfect" season was punctuated by its' gritty 27-21 win against the Miami Hurricanes on Monday night in front of a crowd of 67,000-plus fans, with the majority clad in cream & crimson, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a somewhat brief history lesson is required: **NOTE: The University of Indiana college football program had lost 715 games, now the second-most in FBS history, just one behind Northwestern - - but with one thrilling victory in Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship - a seesaw game that went down to the wire, with the Hoosiers ultimately leaving Miami with no doubt: they are the 'top dogs' of college football, and they accomplished that feat by completing one of the most remarkable two-year turnarounds in the history of the sport — Though there is sure to be much debate as to where this 2026 Indiana Hoosiers team stacks up against the sport's elite, including the 2021 Miami Hurricanes, 2019 LSU Tigers & 2020 Alabama Crimson Tide, the simple fact is this: Nothing like this has ever been done before. . .and by "this," we mean a HC lead a program once considered the "armpit of college football," to the promise land with unheralded recruits, many of which transferred to Indiana along with their head coach, Curt Cignetti. . .Q: Where does this 2026 Indiana Hoosiers team stack up against the rest of the pack for the 'GOAT' of D-I college football? — The Hoosiers' Heisman Trophy-winning QB, Fernando Mendoza - who will most likely and is projected to become the No.1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft - led Indiana to a national championship. . .and he did so by willing himself 12 yards into the end zone on a pivotal 4th-and-4 play with 9:18 remaining to give the Hoosiers a 24-14 lead over the Hurricanes — Mendoza, who completed 16 of 27 passing for 186 yards with no passing TDs or INTs, lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to maintain his balance, then launched himself horizontally and reached the ball over the goal line - an Indiana TD and a ready-made poster for a CFP national title run straight from a major motion picture. . .**NOTE: Prior to Mendoza, the last college football player to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season was Alabama WR DeVonta Smith in 2020 — and yet Indiana's 12-play, 75-yard drive ended with a jaw-dropping fourth-down rushing TD by a Hoosier, who grew up in Miami, that was never recruited by the 'Canes. . ."A Legend in the Making:" Indiana HC Curt Cignetti now has an FBS-best 27-2 overall record over the past two seasons after the Hoosiers went 9-27 in its final three seasons prior to Cignetti being hired — He has led the Hoosiers to their first two 10-win seasons in program history - as Indiana joined the 1984 Yale University football team as the only two programs in major college football history to finish a season with a 16-0 record — In such a tight game, Cignetti & the Hoosiers needed more than another Omar Cooper last-second TD or Heisman moment from Mendoza to pull off this gritty win: With 44 seconds left in regulation, and on the last play of Miami QB Carson Beck's collegiate career, he threw a deep ball down the left sideline & into double coverage, and it was intercepted by Indiana's Jamari Sharpe, stifling the 'Canes final attempt at

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 118.5 - "The Heidi Game Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - 2025-26 NCAA College Football Playoff Quarterfinal/Semifinal Round Catchup & National Championship Game Preview & Predictions Segment: No.10 Miami Hurricanes vs. No.1 Indiana Hoosiers (-8.5) O/U47.5 - "NFL > NIL:" Massive NIL offers from others schools couldn't delay QB Ty Simpson's NFL dreams, he told ON3 on Tuesday evening - Per multiple reports, Simpson rejected millions in NIL deals from programs, such as Tennessee & Ole Miss - who were offering an NIL deal worth $4M - as well as Miami, who upped the NIL offer to approximately $6.5M. . ."Everybody would just remember me as the guy who took all this money and went to Miami or Tennessee for his last year. But I was a captain [at Alabama]. I put my hand and footprints in the cement at Denny Chimes. I would have lost everything that I built at Alabama," per Ty Simpson on his decision to reject the NIL deals to remain the 2026 NFL Draft. . .Q: Where are other "Ty Simpson's" of college football with this level of loyalty? What are your thoughts on Ty Simpson rejecting millions of dollars in NIL deals for the 2026 NFL Draft?. . .As Wednesday was the official deadline for underclassmen not playing in the College Football Playoff championship game to declare for the NFL Draft, a decision loomed over Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore -- On Wednesday per ESPN's "SportsCenter," Moore announced his decision: he has decided to return to school for the 2026 season -- By going back to Oregon, Moore gave up a chance to make nearly $50 million in guaranteed money (i.e., 2025 No.2 pick Travis Hunter made $46.65 million fully guaranteed and that number projects to go up this year) -- By returning to Oregon, Moore gave up a chance to be one of the top overall picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, however, it's presumed that he will project near the top of a loaded QB class for 2027. . .Moore's return makes Oregon one of the favorites for the College Football national title in 2026-27 - - as the Ducks also retained multiple key pieces on the defensive line and a strong nucleus of young WRs & tailbacks -- In his first season as the Ducks' starter, Moore threw for 3,656 yards passing and 30 TDs for the Ducks, and he also completed 71.8% of his passes and threw just 10 INTs -- Moore's decision also comes after former Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola announced that he would be transferring to Oregon, and TE Kenyon Sadiq & safety Dillon Thieneman are a few Oregon players to have declared for the NFL Draft -- Raiold is expected to serve as Moore's backup QB for the 2026 season, after which point, he potentially could be named the Ducks' starter. . .QB: Do you believe that Dante Moore, 20, made the right decision to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return to the University of Oregon next season?. . . - NFL - - 2026 NFL Playoff Wild-Card Round Review: In the following segment, JD & Spencer provide in-depth analysis & breakdown each of the NFL Playoffs Wild-Card Round games from the past weekend as well as discuss many of the notable storylines surrounding each of the games; the following NFL games from the NFC and AFC are discussed within this segment: NFC Wild-Card Playoffs: No.5 Los Angeles Rams at No.4 Carolina Panthers No.7 Green Bay Packers at No.2 Chicago Bears No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.3 Philadelphia Eagles AFC Wild-Card Playoffs: No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.3 Jacksonville Jaguars No.7 Los Angeles Chargers at No.2 New England Patriots No.5 Houston Texans at No.4 Pittsburgh Steelers - NFL (cont'd) - - "Mike T. Out, Mic Drop:" Mike Tomlin has stepped down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending a 19-year run with the franchise -- Tomlin, who had two years remaining on his contract, informed Steelers' players of his decision to walk away at their 2 p.m. ET meeting Tuesday, one day after Pittsburgh was eliminated from the playoffs with a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round -- Tomlin, 53, is not expected to coach elsewhere in 2026, sources informed ESPN's Adam Schefter -- Tomlin leaves Pittsburgh with the unprecedented accomplishment of never having a losing season in nearly two decades at the helm of the franchise -- he clinched his 200th career NFL victory in Week 16 against the Lions and tied Chuck Noll for ninth with 193 regular-season wins in a Week 18 victory against the Ravens that clinched the AFC North title -- At age 36, he led the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XLIII in his second season and, at the time, was the youngest HC to raise the Lombardi Trophy, and he returned to the Super Bowl a year later but fell to QB Aaron Rodgers' Green Bay Packers - and Tomlin never made it back in his final 15 seasons as HC. . .For all his accomplishments, Tomlin ended his historic tenure in Pittsburgh with an frustrating nine-year postseason victory drought -- Marked by improbable wins and hard-to-fathom losses, Tomlin's final season was a microcosm of his nearly two-decade tenure in Pittsburgh -- With Tomlin's departure, the Steelers will begin the search for just their fourth HC since 1969. . .**NOTE: Prior to his resignation, Tomlin was the longest-tenured HC of a single North American professional sports franchise -- Tomlin's record over 19 seasons with the Steelers: 193-114-2. . .Q: What are a few potential candidates that Art Rooney & the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise should consider to interview as Mike Tomlin's replacement?. . .John Harbaugh and the New York Giants have finalized an agreement to make him their next HC, reportedly signing a five-year deal worth approximately $100 million -- Harbaugh, 63, spent the past 18 seasons as HC of the Baltimore Ravens, going 180-113 and winning the Super Bowl before he was firest last week after missing out on the 2025 NFL Playoffs. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Giants' hire of John Harbaugh as their new HC?. . .2026 NFL Playoff Divisional Round Predictions: In this segment, JD & Spencer each give their indiviual & independent predictions for each of the following NFL Playoff Divisional Round games scheduled to occur this upcoming weekend: NFC Divisional Playoffs: No.6 San Francisco 49ers at No.1 Seattle Seahawks (-7) O/U44.5 No.5 Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) at No.2 Chicago Bears O/U48.5 AFC Divisional Playoffs: No.6 Buffalo Bills at No.1 Denver Broncos (-1.5) O/U45.5 No.5 Houston Texans at No.2 New England Patriots (-3) O/U40.5 - NBA - - "The Beard Riseth:" In his 17th season, James Harden passed Shaquille O'Neal for ninth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list - - as the LA Clippers guard made a three-pointer early in the 3rd QTR Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA, pushing his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular-season game -- Shaq finished his NBA career with 28,596 points in 1,207 games played over 19 seasons - as Harden called it a "true honor," and a "testament to the work that I put in,"-- Harden faces a steep climb to the next spot: Wilt Chamberlain is eighth with 31,419 points, in just 1,045 games over a 14-year career, while LeBron James is the all-time leader with 42,601 points entering his game with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. . .Q: How many more seasons do you anticipate James "The Beard" Harden playing in the league beyond the 2025-26 NBA season? If he elected to play two to three seasons, do you think "The Beard" passes "Mr. 100" for 8th on the NBA's all-time scoring list?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 117 - "The A-Gap Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - "A Final Challenge:" Following the previous two scandals in Ann Arbor, most recently, a scandal that would embroil the Wolverines athletic department, and eventually lead to Sherrone Moore being fired after just two seasons with the program, the University of Michigan needed a stabilizing force to help bring both its embattled football program & the athletic department back to a level of respectability among its peers - - And when looking around the market, there were very few obvious prospects available: Alabama's Kalen DeBoer & Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham both publicly announced they were returning, while Louisville's Jeff Brohm was not seriously involved in the process, according to multiple sources - and several others, such as Vanderbilt's Clark Lea & BYU's Kalani Sitake, signed long-term extensions prior to Michigan's head coaching vacancy - - On Friday, Michigan took the first step in doing so: By hiring future Hall of Famer Kyle Whittingham as the program's 22nd head football coach - - Whittingham, 66, is one of the most successful coaches of this era: Whittingham has a 177-88 career record, two Pac-12 Conference titles & a Mountain West crown as the HC at the University of Utah, where he had spent the last 21 seasons - - Per ESPN's Pete Thamel & Dan Wetzel, Whittingham's deal, which is reportedly 75% guaranteed, is comprised of a five-year deal with an average salary of $8.2 million per year - - Beyond his accomplishments, and perhaps most important, Whittingham has maintained a spotless reputation throughout his standout career, with his teams featuring very few (if any) scandals, and a strong team culture - - Now, at Michigan, Whittingham will have more resources to win than in any other moment in his legendary career - - Granted, Whittingham's age is a considerable topic of conversation as it should be, but there is very little debate that this hire was a short-term decision - - Whittingham informed his Utah team on Friday that he will not coach the team in their upcoming SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska on New Year's Eve, and Utah AD Mark Harlan relieved Whittingham of his duties, to allow him to travel to Orlando, FL, to get to work as the HC for the Michigan Wolverines. . .**NOTE: The No.18 Michigan Wolverines are scheduled to face off against the No.13 Texas Longhorns in Orlando on New Year's Eve in the 2026 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl - - However, three of the last four HCs at Michigan failed to make it through four full seasons - - Q: What are your thoughts on Michigan's hiring of former Utah HC Kyle Whittingham as the Wolverines' 22nd head football coach? Do you believe that Kyle Whittingham can lead Michigan to another national title?. . . NCAA College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Round Preview & Analysis: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & provide a thorough breakdown/analysis from the four matchups from the Quarterfinal Round of the 2025 College Football Playoff - - Be sure to tune in for an brief discussion of the following CFP second round game(s): Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No.10 Miami Hurricanes vs. No.2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-9.5)         O/U42.5 Capital One Orange Bowl: No.5 Oregon Ducks (-2.5) vs. No.4 Texas Tech Red Raiders          O/U52.5 Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential: No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No.1 Indiana Hoosiers (-7)      O/U47.5 Allstate Sugar Bowl: No.6 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No.3 Georgia Bulldogs (-6.5)                 O/U55.5 - NCAA College Football Bowl Week #4 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #4 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the fourth week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com! ReliaQuest Bowl: No.23 Iowa vs. No.14 Vanderbilt(-4)              O/U46.5 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Arizona State vs. Duke (-3)                O/U49.5 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: No.18 Michigan vs. No.13 Texas (-7.5)          O/U47.5 SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: No.14 Utah (-14) vs. Nebraska       O/U50.5 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Rice vs. Texas State (-13.5)     O/U58.5 AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Navy (-7) vs. Cincinnati                O/U54.5 Duke's Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State (-3)            O/U53.5 Trust & Will Holiday Bowl: No.17 Arizona (-3) vs. SMU          O/U51.5 Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 116 - The One-Hundred Six-teenth Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Playoff First Round Review & Analysis: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & provide a thorough breakdown/analysis from the four first-round matchups of the 2025 College Football Playoff - - Be sure to tune in for an brief recap & discussion of the following CFP first-round game(s): No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.8 Oklahoma Sooners No.10 Miami Hurricanes at No.7 Texas A&M Aggies No.11 Tulane Green Wave at No.6 Ole Miss Rebels No.12 James Madison Dukes at No.5 Oregon Ducks - NCAA College Football Bowl Week #3 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #3 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the third week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com! GameAbove Sports Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Northwestern (-10.5)      O/U43.5 Rate Bowl: New Mexico vs. Minnesota (-2.5)                         O/U44.5 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: FIU vs. UTSA (-6)                    O/U59.5 Go Bowling Military Bowl: Pittsburgh (-10) vs. East Carolina            O/U56.5 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Clemson (-3)           O/U48.5 Wasabi Fenway Bowl: UConn vs. Army (-8.5)                      O/U43.5 Pop-Tarts Bowl: No.22 Georgia Tech vs. No.12 BYU (-4.5)                O/U56.5 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State (-6)           O/U41.5 Isleta New Mexico Bowl: No.25 North Texas (-3) vs. San Diego State      O/U53.5 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: No.19 Virginia vs. Missouri (-4)               O/U44.5 Kinder's Texas Bowl: No.21 Houston (-3) vs. LSU                   O/U41.5 JLab Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern (-7) vs. Appalachian State      O/U59.5 Radiance Tech. Independence Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech (-9.5) O/U51.5 Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl: Tennessee (-2.5) vs. Illinois         O/U61.5 Valero Alamo Bowl: No.16 USC (-6.5) vs. TCU                   O/U55.5 Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 115 - The "Music City Miracle" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - 2025 NCAA College Basketball [Better Late Than Never] Season Preview: In this opening segment, JD & Spencer preview & analyze the 2025-26 NCAA Division I College Basketball Season, in particular focusing on the Power 5 Conferences (i.e., Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, ACC & SEC) and providing a thorough breakdown of each individual conference as well as projecting which program(s) will go on to be crowned conference champions & how many teams per conference they expect to advance to the 64-team field of this year's NCAA Tournament. . .NCAA College Football: "Ridin' Into the Sunset on His Harley:" Kyle Whittingham,66, the all-time winningest HC in the history of the University of Utah's football program, will step down from leading the Utes and will conclude his highly successful tenure in the Las Vegas Bowl against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Dec. 31st - - Whittingham, the head football coach at the University of Utah since 2004, has been the true embodiment of the culture & identity of Utah Football for the past three decades, led Utah to two Rose Bowl appearances, three conference championships, an undefeated season capped by a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama in 2008 - - In his 32 seasons in Salt Lake City, Whittingham has coached in 391 games and contributed to a program-record 262 wins, with a head coaching record of 177-88 (.668) - - Whittingham, the second-longest tenured HC in FBS college football, he has earned three National Coach of the Year awards, including the AFCA and Bear Bryant Awards in 2008, and the Dodd Trophy in 2019 - - Following the Utes' appearance in the 2025 Las Vegas Bowl, Whittingham will be formally replaced by Utes DC Morgan Scalley, who has finalized a deal to become the program's next head coach, sources told ESPN - - Q: What are your thoughts on Kyle Whittingham stepping down as the HC at the University of Utah following a 21-year run? Do you expect Kyle Whittingham to coach elsewhere or to 'ride off into the sunset' on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle? What are your thoughts on Utah DC Morgan Scalley being promoted as Whittingham's successor?. . .Washington State & Missouri OC Kirby Moore have finalized a deal to make him the Cougars' next HC - - Moore, aged 35, a native of Prosser, WA, and the younger brother of New Orleans Saints HC Kellen Moore, he spent the past three seasons at the University of Missouri on Eliah Drinkwitz's staff - - Replacing Jimmy Rogers, who left to become the head football coach for the Iowa State Cyclones, the Cougars are 6-6 this year with one-score losses to Ole Miss (No.6 in the CFP bracket), Virginia (ACC runner-up) & James Madison (No.12 in the CFP bracket) - - Q: What are your thoughts on Washington State's hiring of Missouri OC Kirby Moore as the program's next HC?. . .2025 College Football Awards: Numerous college football players & coaches received individual accolades on Friday night at an Awards Ceremony in New York City for their efforts throughout the 2025-26 college football season, and JD & Spencer discuss the winners of a select few of the following collegiate awards presented on Friday night: John Mackey Award (best TE): Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt Doak Walker Award (best RB): Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame Davey O'Brien National QB Award (best signal-caller): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Maxwell Award (player of the year): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Biletnikoff Award (best WR): Makai Lemon, USC Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award: Curt Cignetti, Indiana (**first repeat winner in 59 years) Heisman Trophy (most prestigious award/the sport's highest individual honor): Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (**first Indiana player in program history to win the Heisman Trophy) - NCAA College Football Week Sixteen Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & each provide their individual takeaway from the single game that Week Sixteen had to offer - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap & discussion of the following Week Sixteen matchup: "Battle for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy:" Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen - NCAA College Football Bowl Week #2 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Bowl Week #2 preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following matchups from the second week of the college football bowl season - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!! Myrtle Beach Bowl: Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan (-4)   O/U49.5 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Memphis vs. NC State (-5.5)   O/U57.5 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State vs. Utah State (-3)     O/U52.5 Bush's Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo vs. Louisville (-8.5)           O/U44.5 **NOTE: Since this particular bowl game is played in South Florida (i.e., Tampa) in a 30,000-seat Stadium, and features two programs from the Midwest, you can obtain "free" entry into the game by bringing a can of Bush's Baked Beans. New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky (-9.5) vs. Southern Miss       O/U55.5 Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl: UNLV (-4) vs. Ohio                    O/U62.5 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl: Cal (-1.5) vs. Hawai'i                 O/U54.5 - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Preview: In this segment, JD & Spencer will preview each of the four upcoming CFP game(s) & will provide their individual/independent predictions for each outcome; the following CFP first-round matchup(s) are previewed in this particular segment: Friday, Dec. 19th at 7:00PM CST/8:00PM EST: No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide (-1.5) at No.8 Oklahoma           O/U40.5 **The winner will advance to face No.1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1st. Saturday, Dec. 20th at 7:00PM CST/8:00PM EST: No.10 Miami Hurricanes at No.7 Texas A&M Aggies (-3)         O/U51.5 **The winner will advance to face No.2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31st. No.11 Tulane Green Wave at No.6 Ole Miss Rebels (-17.5)        O/U56.5 **The winner will advance to face No.3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1st. No.12 James Madison Dukes at No.5 Oregon Ducks (-21)        O/U48.5 **The winner will advance to face No.4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1st. - NFL - - NFL Week 15 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games & major storylines from Week 15 of the regular season: Thursday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (**Falcons overcame 19 penalties & a 28-14 4th-QTR deficit to damage Tampa Bay's postseason hopes) Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams (**Rams clinch playoff berth for the third straight season after rallying in the second half) Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (**Bills rally from a 21-0 deficit to prevent the Patriots from clinching the AFC East division title) Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (**Chiefs' two-time MVP QB Patrick Mahomes sustains torn ACL in left knee (out for the remainder of the season) & Kansas City were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2014) Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos (**Packers star edge rusher Micah Parsons suffers a non-contact injury/torn ACL (out for season)/Broncos extend winning streak to 11 games & clinch playoff berth) "A Jaguar on the Prowl:" Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence accounted for six TDs, including a career-high five passing, becoming just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to record five passing TDs and one rushing TD in a single game - as Jacksonville overwhelmed the New York Jets from start to finish in a 48-20 drubbing on Sunday to extend their winning streak to five games. . . . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy, who broke free on a goal-line bootleg run in the 2nd QTR with nothing but the end zone in front of him, he slowed down. . .Holding the ball low as he crossed the goal line, McCarthy appeared to be performing a modified "Griddy" dance, which was made popular by Vikings teammate/star WR Justin Jefferson - - While praising McCarthy's performance after he threw for a career-high 250 passing yards, Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell made it very clear at the postgame press conference that he did not approve of the celebration - - And McCarthy, who has endured heavy criticism throughout his first season as a starter, said that he had been warned prior to the game to "avoid" the celebration. . .Q: Do you think there is some friction brewing in Minnesota between HC Kevin O'Connell & [rookie] QB J.J. McCarthy, or is this just a "minor bump" in the road for a young QB still adjusting to playing in the NFL?. . . - NFL (cont'd) - - After Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said on Tuesday that he was contemplating making a change at the QB position, he finally made a move: The Miami Dolphins announced on Wednesday that it is benching QB Tua Tagovailoa and turning to rookie QB Quinn Ewers, per sources to ESPN's Adam Schefter - - Tagovailoa threw his NFL-worst 15th INT in the Dolphins' 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, which eliminated Miami (6-8) from playoff contention - - Ewers' first start will come on Sunday against Joe Burrow & the Cincinnati Bengals. . .Q: Do you expect for Miami to cut/release QB Tua Tagovailoa at the end of the NFL regular season after signing him to a four-year, $212.1 million extension in 2024? What about HC Mike McDaniel - is he more likely to be the Dolphins' HC next season or to coach elsewhere?. . - Miscellaneous - - WWE: Pro wrestling superstar, John Cena, end

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 114 - The "Woody Bowl Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Fifteen aka "Championship Week" Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 15 or "Championship Week" slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: Sun Belt Conference Championship: No.25 James Madison Dukes vs. Troy Trojans American Athletic Conference Championship: Tulane Green Wave vs. North Texas Mean Green Big 12 Conference Championship: No.11 BYU Cougars vs. No.4 Texas Tech Red Raiders SEC Conference Championship: No.3 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide Big Ten Conference Championship: No.2 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes ACC Conference Championship: No.17 Virginia Cavaliers vs. Duke Blue Devils - NCAA College Football Week Sixteen + Bowl Week #1 Preview & Predictions: In this episode's 'preview and predictions' segment, JD & Spencer (a) preview the weekly matchup between Army-Navy as well as the slate of games from the first week of Bowl season; and, (b) provide their individual predictions for each of these matchups - as well as an in-depth evaluation of this year's bowl schedule: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!! Week Sixteen: Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen(-6)                    O/U38.5 **NOTE: Navy leads the all-time series with a record of 63-55-7/ Game played in Baltimore Heights, MD Bowl Week #1: "Cricket Celebration Bowl:" South Carolina State (9-3) vs. Prairie View A&M (10-3) **NOTE: Game played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA "Bucked Up LA Bowl:" Boise State vs. Washington(-8.5)               O/U51.5 **NOTE: Game played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA "IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl:" Troy (-4) vs. Jacksonville State        O/U46.5 **NOTE: Game played at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, AL "StaffDNA Cure Bowl:" Old Dominion vs. USF (-6.5)   O/U57.5 **NOTE: Game played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL '68 Ventures Bowl:" Louisiana (-3) vs. Delaware               O/U58.5 **NOTE: Game played at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, AL - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - 2025 College Football Playoff Bracket Reveal: The full 12-team College Football Playoff was revealed by ESPN on Sunday, with the top four seeds earning first-round byes, and eight "at-large" teams scheduled to play in first-round matchups at campus sites across the country - - The twelve (12) teams, in their exact order of their CFP seeding are: (1) Indiana, (2) Ohio State, (3) Georgia, (4) Texas Tech, (5) Oregon, (6) Ole Miss, (7) Texas A&M, (8) Oklahoma, (9) Alabama, (10) Miami, (11) Tulane, and (12) James Madison (JMU) - - **In next week's episode, we will preview, breakdown & present our independent predictions for each of the first-round matchups of this year's College Football Playoff. . .The College Football Postseason is here, and what's the best side dish to serve alongside the main 'entree that we refer to as the College Football Playoff/Bowl season: A nice slice of Drama: Despite finishing off the college football regular season with eight consecutive victories, and compiling a 10-2 record, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, a postseason mainstay, will be notably absent this bowl season: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish announced in a statement posted to social media on Dec. 7 that they have decided as a team to withdraw their name from bowl consideration following the 2025 college football regular season. . .but Why? The decision came after Notre Dame was left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff field, despite closing out the season with a 10-2 record - - Prior to their withdrawal from bowl consideration, Notre Dame was projected to play in this year's Pop-Tart Bowl, which is scheduled to occur on Dec. 27th at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL - - Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua told ESPN that the program was in utter disbelief and shock after being left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket/field, and he also expressed frustration with the process, stating that any rankings ahead of the final ones are a "farce and total waste of time," - - While HC Marcus Freeman & the Fighting Irish were clearly shocked, and therefore reacted unfavorably to the College Football Playoff committee's decision regarding the playoff field, it's not that difficult to understand or sympathize with the program for the following reason: Prior to the CFP bracket reveal, Notre Dame was ranked No.10 - after dropping one spot in the CFP rankings last week, behind Alabama (No.9) - but they ultimately they fell to No.11 in the final CFP rankings in favor of the ACC's Miami Hurricanes, for which CFP Playoff committee chairman Hunter Yurachek, provided an explanation as to why Miami received the playoff nod, and Notre Dame did not, and surprisingly, it's not all that complicated: The CFP playoff committee's decision for including Miami in the field over Notre Dame came down to the "head-to-head" game between the two programs - as HC Mario Cristobal & the Miami Hurricanes opened the 2025-26 college football regular season in August with a resume-building 27-24 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish - - Notre Dame needed to finish in the top 10 of final CFP rankings to earn a spot in this year's playoff field because two of the five conference champions, who are guaranteed spots, were ranked outside of the top 12. . .and once again, Notre Dame does not belong to a Power Five Conference, which in this particular scenario, came back to haunt them in terms of the final CFP rankings. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Notre Dame's decision to decline a bowl game invitation this postseason after being excluded from the 2025 College Football Playoff bracket/rankings? What does this type of decision teach and/or reinforce to the Fighting Irish players, especially those seniors who will not return next season?. . ."The Penn State Effect:" Penn State's prolonged coaching search following James Franklin's departure on October 12th created a market ripple, which essentially triggered massive contract negotiations and raises for other established coaches, such as Curt Cignetti (Indiana) & Kalani Sitake (BYU), as their current programs locked them into a deal for the foreseeable future, thus preventing them from becoming the next head football coach at Penn State University, making several HCs very wealthy in the process while Penn State initially struggled to find a new leader - - **NOTE: Per Thomas Carr of On3 Sports, the Nittany Lions' coaching search has allowed for seven other FBS coaches to earn a combined $370.8 million in contract extensions (aka "The Penn State Effect"). . .but then, it finally happened: Penn State football named & officially introduced Matt Campbell as it's next HC, becoming the 17th in program history, the school announced last Friday - - With Penn State's Board of Trustees' approval, Matt Campbell's contract is reported to be an eight-year deal running through 2033 with $70.5 million in guaranteed salary - - Campbell, the winningest HC in Iowa State program history, is a three-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, and he led the Cyclones for ten seasons (8 winning seasons) & two Big 12 Conference Championship game appearances - - Campbell, 46, went 72-55 throughout the decade he spent with the program, becoming its winningest HC last season - and he also went 35-15 as the HC at University of Toledo from 2011 to 2015 - - **NOTE: Campbell & his coaching staff have developed 15 NFL draft picks over the past seven years, including NFL stars Brock Purdy (QB/49ers), Breece Hall (RB/NYJ) & David Montgomery (RB/Lions). . .Q: What are your thoughts on Penn State AD Patrick Kraft's decision to hire Iowa State's Matt Campbell as the Nittany Lions' next head football coach?. . .Iowa State certainly did not wait around to find Matt Campbell's replacement: Just minutes after multiple sources reported that Campbell was finalizing a deal to become the Nittany Lions' next HC, the Cyclones made their move, announcing that the program was hiring Washington State's Jimmy Rogers - - Ironically, Rogers' hire was officially announced by the school prior to Penn State's official announcement regarding Campbell's hire - - Rogers, 38, signed a six-year contract that initially will pay him approximately $3 million per year, which is roughly double his salary in his one season at Washington State - - Rogers indicated that several members of his Washington State staff will be joining him as ISU - and as a defensive specialist, he indicated that he plans to install a four-man front, which will be a departure from the 3-3-5 alignment for which the Iowa State program has ran for the past decade. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard's decision to hire Washington State's Jimmy Rogers as the Cyclones' next HC?. . .After nearly two months of searching for its next head football coach, UAB (i.e., JD's alma mater) is turning to the option it had all along: The Blazers promoted interim coach Alex Mortensen to a full-time role. . .Mortensen, 40, spent the past three seasons as the Blazers' OC, and following Trent Dilfer's firing on October 12th, he led the Blazers to a 2-4 record, which included a win over then-No.22 Memphis as well as a shorthanded victory at Tulsa this past weekend that snapped the team's 17-game road losing streak. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UAB's

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 113 - The "Across Enemy Lines Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Fourteen aka "Rivalry Week" Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 14 or "Rivalry Week" slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: "Egg Bowl:" No.7 Ole Miss Rebels at Mississippi State Bulldogs "Lone Star Showdown:" No.3 Texas A&M Aggies at No.16 Texas Longhorns "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate:" No.4 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No.23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets "The Game:" No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes at No.15 Michigan Wolverines No.14 Vanderbilt Commodores at No.19 Tennessee Volunteers "The Iron Bowl:" No.10 Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers - NCAA College Football Week Fifteen aka "Championship Week" Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Fifteen preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the "Championship Week" matchups from the Power Four to the Group of 5 Conferences - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!!                       C-USA Championship: Jacksonville State at Kennesaw State (-1.5) O/U59.5 MAC Championship: Miami (OH) vs. Western Michigan (-2.5)  O/U43.5 Mountain West Championship: UNLV vs. Boise State (-3.5)  O/U58.5 Sun Belt Championship: Troy vs. No.25 James Madison (-23.5)       O/U47.5 American Athletic Championship: No.20 Tulane vs. No.24 North Texas (-2.5) O/U66.5 Big 12 Championship: No.11 BYU vs. No.4 Texas Tech (-12.5)         O/U49.5 ACC Championship: No.17 Virginia (-3.5) vs. Duke                 O/U57.5 Big Ten Championship: No.1 Ohio State (-4.5) vs. No.2 Indiana       O/U47.5 SEC Championship: No.3 Georgia (-2.5) vs. No.9 Alabama           O/U47.5 - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - In this segment, JD & Spencer discuss the domino-like effect of coaching hires across the NCAA Division I College Football landscape, and provide a detailed analysis regarding many of the most notable update(s) concerning the "Coaching Carousel" that has seemed to be a central theme of the sport over the past week; this discussion includes the following fifteen to sixteen FBS programs/hires: **Let Us Know Your Thoughts on a few of the major coaching changes across College Football from the previous week - - Share Your Thoughts with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com! Oregon State - - JaMarcus Shephard (former Alabama co-OC/Assistant HC & WRs coach) Colorado State - - Jim Mora (former UConn HC) Auburn - - Alex Golesh (former USF HC) Arkansas - - Ryan Silverfield (former Memphis HC) Florida - - Jon Sumrall as HC (former Tulane HC)/David Caldwell as GM (former Philadelphia Eagles Executive) Michigan State - - Pat Fitzgerald (formerly of Northwestern) Kentucky - - Mark Stoops (out)/ Will Stein (hired as HC/former Oregon OC) UCLA - - Bob Chesney (former James Madison HC) "Can't Turn a Heaux into a Housewife:" LSU - - Lane Kiffin (former Ole Miss HC) + Charlie Weis, Jr. (hired as OC/former Ole Miss OC) Ole Miss - - Pete Golding (promoted to HC/former Ole Miss DC) Penn State/BYU - - Shortly after a report was made public that BYU HC Kalani Sitake had emerged as Penn State's top target to become the Nittany Lion's next HC, BYU got to work, and per On3 Sports reporter Pete Nakos on Wednesday afternoon, Sitake is staying in Provo - as he expected to sign a new deal with the program with an approximate average annual salary of $9M to $9.5 per year. . . Cal - - Tosh Lupoi (former Oregon DC) North Texas - - Neal Brown (formerly had stints at Troy & West Virginia) Kansas State - - Chris Klieman (retired)/Collin Klein (former Texas A&M OC & Wildcats QB) USF - - Brian Hartline (former Ohio State OC) - NFL - - NFL Week 13 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 13 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: "NFL on Thanksgiving Day:" Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions "NFL on Thanksgiving Day, Game 2:" Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles (**Bears win their fifth straight game/Eagles OC Kevin Patullo's New Jersey home vandalized by Philly fans) Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers (**Panthers defense force three Stafford turnovers/Rams' six-game winning streak snapped) . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .a Big Man! - - Tampa Bay Buccaneers OT Tristan Wirfs, who caught a pass from QB Baker Mayfield in the closing minutes of the first half to give the Bucs a 10-0 lead in their matchup on Sunday versus the Arizona Cardinals. . .Not only was it his first career catch, it was also the first TD he's ever scored in his professional career. . .Everything about the moment was awesome, including the way that he and teammate, Ben Bredesen, decided to celebrate afterwards. . .Queue up the "Dirty Dancing" celly. . . - - The Buccaneers would go on to defeat the Cardinals by a final score of 20-17. . . Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen set the NFL record for rushing TDs by a QB on Sunday in the Bills-Steelers matchup in Pittsburgh: Allen bulldozed into the end zone for an 8-yard rushing score in the 4th QTR that ultimately put the game out of reach for the Steelers, which was the 76th rushing score of his eight-year career, breaking the record previously held by former NFL (and Carolina) QB Cam Newton (75) - - as the Bills gashed the Steelers with a ruthless rushing attack in a 26-7 victory. . . - NBA - - Twenty-one games into his 21st NBA season, and what has been confirmed to be his final season in the league, Chris Paul will no longer be playing for the Los Angeles Clippers after being released by the NBA franchise. . .Paul announced on social media that the Clippers were sending him home as the team traveled to Atlanta for a game on Wednesday against the Hawks. . .The Clippers confirmed Paul will no longer be on the team in a statement to NBA insider Chris Haynes, after which an interesting report was released per ESPN's Shams Charania that, prior to his release, CP3 and Clippers HC Tyrone Lue had not been on "speaking terms" for several weeks. . .Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank released a statement on Wednesday detailing that the organization's decision to part ways with Paul did not come from just one isolated incident, and furthermore, that both sides had engaged in multiple conversations prior to Paul being informed that he would no longer be a part of the team in a stunning overnight move on Wednesday. . .While there are no obvious landing spots given Paul's age (40) & overall decline in his performance this season, there are teams around the NBA that are certainly in need of a PG, and that could possibly be willing to sign him - - the one team that is desperately seeking help at the PG position right now is the Minnesota Timberwolves - as All-Star SF Anthony Edwards has assumed that role as of late. . .Q: Do you think that the Minnesota Timberwolves would be a favorable fit for Chris Paul?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 112 - The "Rivalrous Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Thirteen Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 13 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: No.22 Missouri Tigers at No.8 Oklahoma Sooners Arkansas Razorbacks at No.17 Texas Longhorns No.15 USC Trojans at No.7 Oregon Ducks Pittsburgh Panthers at No.16 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Kansas State Wildcats at No.12 Utah Utes NCAA College Football Week Fourteen or "Rivalry Week" Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Fourteen preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for a few of the most notable Rivalry Week matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection, and also discuss the historical significance of each matchup: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!!                    "Egg Bowl:"No.6 Ole Miss (-7.5) at Mississippi State   O/U62.5      "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate:" No.4 Georgia (-12.5) vs. No.16 Georgia Tech O/U59.5 Cotton Holdings "Lone Star Showdown:"No.3 Texas A&M (-2.5) at No.17 Texas O/U51.5 "The Game:" No.1 Ohio State (-9.5) at No.18 Michigan O/U45.5 No.14 Vanderbilt at No.20 Tennessee (-2.5) O/U64.5 "The Iron Bowl:" No.10 Alabama (-5.5) at Auburn O/U48.5     NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - "Kiffin Drama:" Lane Kiffin's decision on his coaching future feels like it's holding the sport of college football hostage, however, Ole Miss confirmed on Friday that Kiffin will announce the "final verdict" regarding his future on November 29th - just one day after the Rebels meet the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the 2025 edition of the "Egg Bowl," - leaving Florida, LSU & even his own program, Ole Miss, stuck in an uncomfortable position - - The uncertainty intensified late Friday night, when reports surfaced that LSU officials were preparing to make an aggressive push to pry Kiffin from Oxford - - According to multiple reports, key decision-makers are preparing a formal offer that could reach seven years and upwards of $90M, which would place Kiffin among the highest-paid coaches in college football - - While Florida is reportedly still in the mix for Kiffin's services, LSU's surge has instantly reshaped the financial landscape, while Ole Miss is stuck navigating the fallout - - The Rebels currently sit at No.6 in the most current CFP rankings, and are tracking toward the program's first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, yet Kiffin's indecisiveness looms over an otherwise historic season - - Q: Solely based on your gut, where do you think Lane Kiffin lands: does he remain at Ole Miss and continue building upon the success that he has already established in Oxford? Although he has indicated that it's "not about the money," does he chase the paper trail to Baton Rouge? Or, does he follow the palm tree pathway to the Gainesville to lead the Florida Gators?. . .Florida State HC Mike Norvell will return for a seventh season with the Seminoles, pledging to make the much-needed structural changes within the program to enhance performance, the school announced Sunday - - Questions that had been mounting about Norvell's job security reached a boiling point after a 21-11 loss to NC State on Friday night that dropped the Seminoles to 5-6 overall - - Florida State must win on the road at Florida on Saturday just to reach bowl eligibility - - Over the past two years, Florida State is 7-16 (3-13 in ACC Conference play) & winless on the road - - Norvell, however, did win an ACC title in 2023 and has maintained his optimism to reinvigorate the program towards a successful future - - Q: What are your thoughts on Florida State's announcement on Sunday that head football coach Mike Norvell will return next season?. . .Per On3 Sports' Pete Thamel, North Texas HC Eric Morris has been hired to become the next HC at Oklahoma State - - Morris will reportedly coach out UNT's remaining games, including both a potential American Conference title game appearance and CFP bid, announced on Tuesday - - Statistically, Morris' Mean Green have the No.1 offense in the country, averaging 503.3 total yards of offense per game - The Mean Green are also the only D-I team in the country to score at least 50 points in six games this season, and they are the only team to score at least 30 points in every game throughout the regular season - - Morris is 21-15 in three years at UNT, and went 24-18 at Incarnate Word with two FCS playoff appearances - - Q: What are your thoughts on the hire by Oklahoma State? Do you expect UNT Mean Green redshirt freshman QB Drew Mestemaker to follow HC Eric Morris to Oklahoma State?. . . NFL - - NFL Week 12 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 12 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: Thursday Night Football: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears (**Steelers' T.J. Watt surpasses older brother J.J. Watt in career sacks) . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . the Green Bay Packers' Evan Williams with the "SKOL celly," a TD celebration where he & his teammates performed the Minnesota Vikings' "SKOL" chant after picking off QB J.J. McCarthy, who now has nine INTs in six games played - as the Packers went on to defeat the Vikings 23-6. . . New York Giants at Detroit Lions (**Lions' RB Jahmyr Gibbs has a career day) Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (**The Cowboys score 24 unanswered points to defeat the Eagles/QB Dak Prescott tops Tony Romo for the career franchise record for yards passing) Cleveland Browns at Las Vegas Raiders (**Rookie QB Shedeur Sanders' NFL starting debut/Raiders fire OC Chip Kelly just 11 games into his first season with the franchise) NBA - - Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul is retiring after this season, his 21st NBA campaign, sources told ESPN on Saturday - - Paul, 40, is a 12-time All-Star, an 11-time member of All-NBA teams, a nine-time All-Defensive teams member, the 2006 Rookie of the Year, and a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team - - It was believed that this was likely Paul's final season in the league, and on Saturday morning, he posted on social media: "What a ride. . .Still so much left. . .GRATEFUL for this last one," - - Nicknamed "The Point God," Paul is the NBA's active leader in assists & steals, and is second all-time in both behind John Stockton - - He has led the league in assists per game five times and in steals per game in six seasons - and he has averaged double-digit assists in seven seasons - - Paul & LeBron James are the only two players in NBA history to reach both 30,000 career points and 10,000 career assists milestones - - Paul spent six years with the New Orleans Hornets after being drafted with the No.4 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, prior to the famously voided trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, which ultimately landed him with the Clippers, where he teamed up with Blake Griffin & DeAndre Jordan - which birthed the "Lob City" era of the franchise - leading to its' longest sustained run of success - - After six years with the Clippers, Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets & paired with superstar James Harden, but they failed to have a postseason breakthrough - - Paul would go on to play for the OKC Thunder as well as a short stint for the Golden State Warriors prior to reuniting with the Clippers in the offseason, and to date, Paul - who will turn 41 in May - has appeared in eleven games this season with Los Angeles - - Q: Would you consider Chris Paul to be the second-best assist facilitator in the history of the NBA? Without an NBA championship, does it somewhat tarnish Paul's career & overall accomplishments?. . . Thanks for Listening & Happy Thanksgiving!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 111 - The "Walk-On" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Twelve Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 12 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: Clemson Tigers at No.19 Louisville Cardinals South Carolina Gamecocks at No.3 Texas A&M Aggies (**largest comeback in program history - - a 1-286 record in SEC play since 2004 when trailing by 27 or more points) No.24 South Florida Bulls at Navy Midshipmen (**for a second consecutive week, the highest-ranked G5 program in the CFP rankings lost) No.21 Iowa Hawkeyes at No.17 USC Trojans (**The Hawkeyes have now lost to four ranked teams this season by a combined 15 points) No.11 Oklahoma Sooners at No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide (**Theme for the Crimson Tide: "Missed Opportunities & Turnovers") No.10 Texas Longhorns at No.5 Georgia Bulldogs (**Does Texas have a "Georgia" problem that is very similar to Georgia's "Alabama" problem?) - NCAA College Football Week Thirteen Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Thirteen preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 13 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!!               No.22 Missouri at No.8 Oklahoma (-7.5)      O/U41.5          Arkansas at No.17 Texas (-8.5) O/U57.5 "College Gameday:" No.15 USC at No.7 Oregon (-9 O/U59.5 No.20 Tennessee (-4.5) at Florida      O/U57.5 No.11 BYU (-2.5) at No.25 Cincinnati         O/U54.5 - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - Virginia Tech has finalized a deal to make James Franklin the school's next head football coach, per the sources who informed ESPN of the hire on Monday - - Franklin is the former HC at both Penn State and Vanderbilt University, where he went an impressive & combined record of 128-60 over 15 seasons at the helm - - Franklin brings a resume that includes winning more than 68% of his games, an appearance in the semi-finals of the 2024 College Football Playoff, and a Big Ten Conference championship in 2016 - - Franklin's arrival in Blacksburg will give the Hokies their most accomplished HC since Hall of Famer Frank Beamer, who retired in 2015 after 29 seasons with the program - - Since that time, Virginia Tech has endured the underwhelming tenures of Justin Fuente, and most recently - Brent Pry - as the program struggled to assimilate to modern college football. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding James Franklin being hired as the as the next head football coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies? Is it necessarily the best overall fit for the program? If you're James Franklin, do you at the very least reach out to Hokies' legendary QB, Michael Vick, about the possibility of him joining your staff at his alma mater? . . .The third edition of the College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday night, with undefeated Ohio State remaining No.1 ahead of Big Ten foe Indiana, and the top 10 experiencing some key alterations - - A pair of top-tier SEC matchups & a massive upset led to a new No.4 team in the rankings. . Alabama vacated that particular ranking/spot after suffering a 23-21 loss at home to Oklahoma, with Georgia sliding into the "first-round bye" position after the Bulldogs dominated the Texas Longhorns 35-10 this weekend in Athens. . .In the recently released CFP rankings, the Sooners now sit at No.8, one spot ahead of Notre Dame & two spots ahead of the Crimson Tide (i.e., No.10) - - University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek, who earlier in the week had assumed the role as the College Football Playoff selection committee chairman, had some pretty interesting, but mostly asinine comments when it came to elaborating as to the "why" Alabama came in at No.10 in this week's CFP rankings: (1) Rushing offense struggles: Yurachek pointed to Alabama's inconsistent rushing performance as a major issue, noting that the Crimson Tide's season-opening loss to the Florida State Seminoles, was a "sign of some of the struggles Alabama was going to have rushing the ball," - He also referenced the games against South Carolina and LSU, where they ultimately won the game, but failed to rush for at least 100 yards rushing, and their inability to move the ball on the ground against Oklahoma; (2) Comparison to Notre Dame (CFP No.9): Yurachek explained that the CFP selection committee used metrics like the quality of losses when comparing Notre Dame & Alabama, further highlighting that Alabama's loss to FSU, who is currently 5-5 overall this season, was a 'difference-maker' in their decision-making process; and (3) Inconsistent performance: Yurachek also mentioned that the CFP selection committee also evaluated Alabama's need to score two late TDs to avoid the upset on the road versus South Carolina - as an example of a team struggling on the road & not running the ball very well, which factored into their decision to rank the Crimson Tide at No.10. . .Q: Is it not abundantly clear that the University of Alabama is evaluated under a different microscope lens than that of other D-1 programs? What about the evaluation of "quality of wins," or "number of wins over ranked opponents?" Do you agree with CFP committee chair Hunter Yurachek that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish should be ranked higher than the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff rankings? - - Even though Alabama dropped from the No.4 spot to No.10, the Crimson Tide still has favorable odds to advance to the SEC Conference Championship game, which would all but guarantee a spot in this year's CFP. . .According to ESPN Research, Alabama has a 71% chance to make it to Atlanta - with only one SEC game remaining - against archrival Auburn on the Plains - - No.3 Texas A&M and No.5 Texas Tech round out the top five, and possibly the most surprising alteration to the third edition of the CFP rankings: the Miami (FL) Hurricanes being announced as the 11th projected bid, despite being ranked No.13, yet they are four spots behind Notre Dame, a team that the Hurricanes defeated 27-24 in the season opener (so much for the No.1 criteria being evaluated or viewed by the CFP selection committee being "head-to-head" matchups) - - Finally, the Tulane Green Wave claimed the last of the 12 playoff spots as the highest-ranked Group of Five team in Tuesday's release at No.24 - but after consecutive weeks of the highest-ranked G5 program losing, could this potentially be "a hex" for Jon Sumrall & the Green Wave?. . .According to CFP chair Hunter Yurachek, should a Group of Five team not make the final CFP rankings, the CFP selection committee would then choose which conference champion is most deserving of the last (or final) bid - - The SEC Conference led the way again Tuesday with nine ranked teams, while the Big Ten had six, the Big 12 had five, and the ACC has three after Pitt dropped out of the rankings following their 37-15 loss to Notre Dame this weekend. . .Q: What are your overall thoughts on this week's updated CFP rankings? Which of the ranking(s) are you most surprised and/or intrigued about? . . - NFL - - NFL Week 11 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 11 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings . . .And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .New York Giants QB Jameis Winston, who started on Sunday versus the Green Bay Packers in place of Giants starter, Jaxson Dart after suffering a concussion in last week's game - - Winston gave an electric pregame speech & kept the Giants (2-8) in the game against the Packers, but ultimately came up just short in a 27-20 loss on Sunday afternoon. . .On Sunday, Winston scored a go-ahead rushing TD from the 1-yard line midway through the 4th QTR, and he blessed us all with a TD celebration that is sure to become an instant meme: Winston busted out the Harlem Shake in the end zone . . . Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (**Carolina QB Bryce Young breaks franchise record for most passing yards in a single game/Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. out for the season after he underwent surgery to repair a partially torn left ACL suffered in Atlanta's loss in OT). . . Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (**a new King of the AFC West emerging for the first time since 2016?). . . Baltimore Ravens at "We're the Cleveland Browns" (**the Ravens defense spoiled QB Shedeur Sanders NFL regular season debut?). . . - NFL (cont'd) - - Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase has been suspended one game without pay for spitting on Pittsburgh Steelers DB Jalen Ramsey, the league announced Monday - - The incident occurred in Cincinnati's 34-12 loss to the Steelers on Sunday - - After Chase initially denied his role in the altercation with Ramsey, video from Cincinnati's WXIX-TV revealed Chase clearly spitting in Ramsey's direction, which prompted Ramsey to throw a punch at Chase - - While Chase did appeal his suspension, it was upheld, and h

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 110 - The One-Hundred & Tenth Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Eleven Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 11 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: Tulane Green Wave at No.23 Memphis Tigers No.2 Indiana Hoosiers at Penn State Nittany Lions (**Josh Dasher, Official of the Year?) No.7 BYU Cougars at No.8 Texas Tech Red Raiders No.9 Oregon Ducks at No.20 Iowa Hawkeyes Auburn Tigers at No.16 Vanderbilt Commodores No.3 Texas A&M Aggies at No.22 Missouri Tigers LSU Tigers at No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - Two weeks after firing Brian Kelly, LSU remains in a standoff with its former football coach over the terms of his buyout. . .Kelly's contract - a 10-year, $95-million deal - calls for him to be paid 90% of his remaining salary for the life of his contract, which would put LSU on the hook for close to $54 million in the form of monthly payments to Kelly through 2031 - - Reportedly, LSU wanted to negotiate a smaller payment to Kelly that would give the coach a significant payout up front, but save the program money in the long run - - Per reporter Dan Wetzel, in a legal filing obtained by ESPN, Brian Kelly's lawyers state that LSU is saying that it never "formally terminated" Kelly and are now seeking to fire him "for cause" which could impact his near $54 million buyout agreement - - Kelly is seeking a declaratory judgement that LSU did fire him and that he is entitled to "full liquidated damages" - - Q: Do you expect the LSU-Brian Kelly to get pretty messy?. . . NCAA College Football Week Twelve Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Eleven preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 12 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!!                       Clemson at No.20 Louisville (-3.5)         O/U51.5            "College Gameday:" No.9 Notre Dame (-12.5) at No.22 Pittsburgh O/U55.5 No.11 Oklahoma at No.4 Alabama (-5.5)     O/U45.5 No.21 Iowa at No.17 USC (-6.5)                          O/U49.5 No.10 Texas at No.5 Georgia (-5.5)      O/U48.5 - NFL - - NFL Week 10 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 10 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: NFL Berlin: Indianapolis Colts vs. Atlanta Falcons (**Colts RB Jonathan Taylor breaks franchise record) New York Giants at Chicago Bears (**& the firing of Giants' HC Brian Daboll) Cleveland Browns at New York Jets (**Jets break franchise history in the span of 36 seconds) New England Patriots at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (** Backup QB Davis Mills & Texans overcame 19-point, 4th-QTR deficit to stun the Jags) And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Jacksonville Jaguars WR Parker Washington - - Washington had a punt return TD of 72 yards where he ran down the sideline untouched that put the Jags up 17-0. . .Washington stopped just shy of the goal line, turned around & fell backwards into the end zone & his teammates began to imitate that they were performing CPR on him, for a very creative and unique TD celebration. . . - MLB - - Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz appeared in federal court Monday on charges accusing him and teammate Emmanuel Clase of accepting bribes to help associates in their native Dominican Republic win prop bets placed on pitches they threw - - The U.S. Magistrate Judge in Boston granted Ortiz his release but with several conditions, including that he surrender his passport, restrict his travel to the Northeast and post a $500,000 bail, with $50,000 of it secured - - He also was ordered to avoid contact with anyone who could be viewed as a victim, a witness or a co-defendant in the case - - According to the indictment against the two unsealed on Sunday, Ortiz & Clase took several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two unnamed gamblers in their home country win at least $460,000 on bets placed on the speed and outcome of certain pitches, including some that landed in the dirt - - Clase, who was the Guardians' closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July, when the MLB started investigating what it said was unusually high in-game betting activity when the two pitched, with some of the games in question occurring in April, May & June of this year. . .Q: Considering the alleged betting scheme that has been uncovered in the NBA, should we be surprised to learn that there is an illegal paper trail of betting in the MLB? Do you truly believe that Luis Ortiz & Emmanuel Clase are the only two MLB pitchers out there that are involved in some type of pitch-rigging betting scheme?. . . - NBA - - Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison has been fired, it was announced on Tuesday morning - - The decision was made after a Tuesday morning meeting between Harrison and team governor Patrick Dumont, sources told ESPN - - Harrison has been under fire from Mavericks fans since he stunningly traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2nd, months removed from the then-25-year-old five-time first-team All-NBA selection leading the franchise to an NBA Finals appearance - - That trade, in which Dallas received veteran Anthony Davis, Max Christie & a 2029 first-round pick in return, prompted fan protests outside the American Airlines Center on the night of the deal and before the team's next home game. . .That angst never dissipated, as "Fire Nico!" chants have frequently been heard ever since at the team's home games, including Monday night's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks - - Assistant GM Michael Finley & Matt Riccardi have been promoted to lead the Mavs' basketball operations department on an interim basis - - Dallas' poor start to the 2025 NBA regular season combined with the fans' relentless angst ultimately sealed Harrison's fate. . .Q: Were you in the slightest bit surprised by the firing of GM Nico Harrison by the Mavericks organization? Do you think the Mavericks should have made this decision months ago?. . . Thanks for Listening!

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 109 - The "Call of A Lifetime" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - "Welcome Back, College Basketball:" Due primarily to an excessive material load, we have decided to postpone on our NCAA College Basketball 'Season Preview' segment, however, JD & Spencer elected to provide their individual Final Four predictions for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. . .There is one storyline from the Opening Night of the College Basketball season that is just too great & uplifting to not mention in this week's episode: During the postgame interview following their first game of the season, Loyola (Chicago) Ramblers head basketball coach Drew Valentine indicated that he could 'sense' Sister Jean's presence in his team's thrilling win over Cleveland State on Monday night - - Loyola Chicago guard Deywilk Tavarez hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 0.5 seconds to play, to secure the 91-88 victory in the program's first official game since the death of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the longtime chaplain of the program and its' globally-recognized supporter, at the age of 106 last month - - In memory of Sister Jean, who had been associated with the program since 1994, the Ramblers' uniforms will include a patch that includes a picture depicting Sister Jean in all her glory - - Q: What are your thoughts on Loyola Chicago's buzzer-beating victory in their first game following Sister Jean's passing?. . .NCAA College Football Week Ten Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 10 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: No.9 Vanderbilt Commodores at No.20 Texas Longhorns West Virginia Mountaineers at No.22 Houston Cougars No.10 Miami Hurricanes at SMU Mustangs No.5 Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida Gators (*Neutral site/game played in Jacksonville, FL) No.8 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at NC State Wolfpack No.23 USC Trojans at Nebraska Cornhuskers South Carolina Gamecocks at No.7 Ole Miss Rebels (& the firing of Gamecocks OC Mike Shula) No.18 Oklahoma Sooners at No.14 Tennessee Volunteers Kentucky Wildcats at Auburn Tigers (**& the firing of Tigers HC Hugh Freeze & potential replacements) - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - NCAA D-I College Football Coaching Carousel: This could be the most active coaching carousel the sport of College Football has encountered in many years - - In particular, prior to the end of the month of September, five Power 4 programs were searching for new HC's for the 2026 season, and that number has since skyrocketed to twelve (counting some late-offseason dismissals) after Kent State University removed the interim tag from Mark Carney - - The 2024-25 hiring cycle was historically slow at the Power 4 level, as most programs waited to see the impact of budgeting more than $20 million for athletes in the House v. NCAA settlement, but with that revenue sharing system now firmly in place, the focus has significantly shifted back to coaching changes across the college football landscape - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer present their individual ranking of NCAA Division I College Football's open head coaching jobs, with the ranking being primarily based on factors such as the chances for a head coach to succeed there - - Coaches want to take jobs where they believe they can be successful, and based on our independent rankings, this is how most HCs would view & prioritize the particular programs - - The 12 Power 4 open heading jobs that are ranked in this segment include the following programs: LSU, Penn State, Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Stanford, Oregon State, Colorado State & UAB. . .NCAA College Football Week Eleven Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Eleven preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 11 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!! Tulane at No.22 Memphis (-5.5)                       O/U55.5 No.5 Georgia (-8.5) at Mississippi State                    O/U57.5 "College Gameday:" No.8 BYU at No.9 Texas Tech (-10)           O/U52.5 No.3 Texas A&M (-7) at No.19 Missouri  O/U47.5 No.6 Oregon (-6) at Iowa      O/U40.5 LSU at No.4 Alabama (-10.5)                    O/U49.5 Auburn at No.15 Vanderbilt (-6.5)             O/U45.5 - NFL - - NFL Week 9 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 9 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following game(s) from this past weekend's slate of games: Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers And This Week's Tradition's Finest "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Carolina Panthers RB Rico Dowdle - - Dowdle's celebration of a 3rd-QTR TD on Sunday included only two "pelvic pumps" in his rendition, referencing the character, Hingle McCringleberry, from a sketch of the Comedy Central show "Key & Peele," - - In contrast to McCringleberry's "three-pump" TD celebration, which gets flagged for excessive celebration in the original skit, it was Dowdle's understanding that he was allowed two pumps - - While the language in the league's rulebook is vague, the game official flagged Dowdle on Sunday for unsportsmanlike conduct - and unfortunately, the 15-yard penalty was forced on the extra-point attempt, for which Carolina PK Ryan Fitzgerald missed - - but perhaps it was "excessive" because six of Dowdle's teammates participated in the celebration, which means, technically, there might have been 12 pelvic pumps. . . Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals "Cam Little, BIG Kick:" Jacksonville Jaguars second-year kicker Cam Little is now officially in the NFL record book after drilling the longest FG in league history on Sunday - - The Jaguars' PK booted a 68-yard FG shortly before the halftime break - in the Jaguars' eventual 30-29 OT win over the Las Vegas Raiders - - Little, who connected on a 70-yard FG during the NFL preseason, was mobbed by his teammates after breaking the record that was previously held by former Ravens kicker, Justin Tucker, who's 66-yarder held on to the record since 2021 - - **NOTE: Little is now just one of three kickers in NFL history to make a FG of at least 65 yards - not bad for a 22-year-old, sixth-round pick - who had made 71.4% of his FG attempts during the first seven games of the 2025 NFL season. . . Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills - NFL (cont'd) - - 2025 NFL Trade Deadline: The 2025 NFL trade deadline, which was on Tuesday, November 4th, presented teams with one last window to transform their roster prior to the stretch run of the NFL regular season - - JD & Spencer discuss & provide an 'overall grade' for a few of the more notable and/or most impactful trades that did occur around the league prior to the 4:00 p.m. ET cutoff; the following trade(s) are discussed within this episode: Philadelphia acquired OLB Jaelan Phillips via Miami in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick Seattle acquired WR Rashid Shaheed via New Orleans in exchange for 2026 fourth- & fifth-round pick(s) Jacksonville acquired WR Jakobi Meyers via Las Vegas in exchange for 2026 fourth & sixth-round pick(s) Indianapolis acquired CB Sauce Gardner via NYJ in exchange for 2026 & '27 first-round picks & WR Adonai Mitchell Dallas acquired three-time Pro Bowl DT Quinnen Williams via NYJ in exchange for 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick & DT Mazi Smith - MLB - - 2025 World Series Game 5: Toronto Blue Jays (2-2) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (2-2): A record-setting performance from 22-year-old rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage in Game 5 of the 2025 World Series last Wednesday night had the Toronto Blue Jays on the cusp of their first MLB championship since 1993 - - Yesavage, in his first career postseason start on the road, struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up only three hits without issuing a single walk, helping lead the Blue Jays to a 6-1 win, and 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series - - **NOTE: Yesavage set the rookie mark for most strikeouts in a World Series game, surpassing Don Newcombe's 11, which was set in 1949. . .2025 World Series Game 6: Toronto Blue Jays (3-2) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (2-3): After another hitless performance in Wednesday's Game 5 loss made Dodgers star Mookie Betts 3-for-23 in this year's World Series, he wasted no time as his only solution for when slumps emerge, is to attempt to swing his way out of them: In the early part of Game 6 last Friday evening, Betts hit a two-run single that made the difference in a season-saving 3-1 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays - - Yoshinobu Yamamoto beat Toronto for the second time in a week by allowing one run in six innings, and slumping Mookie Betts hit a two-run single in a three-run 3rd inning against Kevin Gausman that included Will Smith's go-ahead double - - A two-run lead was starting to slip away from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 9th inning - along with their chance to force this year's World Series t

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! & Happy Halloween to all you Cool Cats & Kittens! Episode 108 - "The CVIII Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Nine Analysis & Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major topics/storylines, analyze & review the in-game stats & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 9 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following games & topics which are included in this week's College Football Analysis & Review segment: **"Feel Good, Inc:" UNT Redshirt freshman QB Drew Mestemaker "Mustve'Mader" major impact in the Mean Green's impressive comeback victory over Charlotte No.8 Ole Miss Rebels at No.13 Oklahoma Sooners No.16 Virginia Cavaliers at North Carolina Tar Heels No.18 South Florida Bulls at Memphis Tigers "College Gameday:" No.15 Missouri Tigers at No.10 Vanderbilt Commodores No.4 Alabama Crimson Tide at South Carolina Gamecocks No.22 Texas Longhorns at Mississippi State Bulldogs And This Week's "Most Badass Celly of the Week" Award goes to. . .Redshirt freshman Nickelback/Safety RahShawn Clark of the Washington Huskies: In the best game of his collegiate career, Clark snagged his first career INT off Illinois QB Luke Altmyer, which led to Clark leading a stadium-wide "6,7" celebration at Husky Stadium on Saturday (**a reference to the viral song/clip from TikTok). . . No.3 Texas A&M Aggies at No.20 LSU Tigers (**& the firing of Tigers HC Brian Kelly & potential replacements) - NCAA: News & Storylines (cont'd) - - "The Axe Cometh:" LSU OC and QBs coach Joe Sloan has been fired effective immediately, the school announced on Monday, less than 24 hours after HC Brian Kelly was relieved of his duties - - LSU's offense has struggled this season, ranking No.124 in the country in rushing yards per game (106.3), No.91 in red zone efficiency (58.6%), and No.83 in points per game (25.5) - - TEs coach & Run Game Coordinator Alex Atkins, who formerly made stops as the OC at Florida State & Charlotte, will reportedly take over as LSU's offensive play-caller, per an announcement of the program. . .NCAA College Football Week Ten Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Ten preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 10 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!! No.9 Vanderbilt at No.20 Texas (-2.5)                       O/U45.5 Penn State at No.1 Ohio State (-20.5)                    O/U43.5 No.4 Alabama (-13.5) at South Carolina                O/U47.5 "War for the Okefenokee Oar:" No.5 Georgia (-7.5) vs. Florida  O/U50.5 South Carolina at No.7 Ole Miss (-12.5)      O/U54.5 No.18 Oklahoma at No.14 Tennessee (-3)                   O/U56.5 No.23 USC (-6.5) at Nebraska                           O/U59.5 No.17 Cincinnati at No.24 Utah (-10)                   O/U55.5 - NFL - - "An Episode Favorite, No.74:" Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold, aged 41, a franchise legend who endeared himself to fans and teammates with his blue-collar, every-man demeanor, has passed away due to complications from kidney disease, the Jets franchise announced on Sunday - - Mangold's passing came twelve days after he made a public appeal for a kidney transplant via social media, primarily because none of his family members shared his extremely rare blood type (i.e., Type O) - - Known for his toughness & cerebral approach, Mangold became one of the most decorated centers in the NFL: he made seven Pro Bowls, was twice named a first-team All-Pro, and most impressively, he played in the league for five straight years before he missed his first game (e.g., he wound up missing only four games in his first ten NFL seasons) - - In 2009, Mangold, a veteran in the league, was a bit of a calming influence to Jets new & turnover-prone QB, Mark Sanchez, that would ultimately help the Jets reach the AFC Championship Game in back-to-back consecutive seasons - - While he did draw interest from other NFL teams following his release by the New York Jets, Mangold elected to retire after playing for the same franchise for eleven (11) seasons, where he started 164 of 176 games - - At his induction into the Jets' Ring of Honor in 2022, the bearded Mangold, with his signature backward baseball cap, would go on to punctuate his acceptance speech to the fans in the stadium, by cracking open a beer - - What a legend, R.I.P. Nick Mangold, you will be missed, brother!. . . After being released by the Jets NFL Week 8 Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 8 of the regular season - - **Be sure to tune in for an in-depth review, a highlight and discussion of the following topics from this past weekend's slate of games: New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (**& the loss of Rookie RB Cam Skattebo) "Another Milestone:" Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry passed one of the biggest names in NFL history on Sunday: His two rushing TDs against the Chicago Bears brought his career total to 112, breaking a tie with the late great Walter Payton (110) for fifth on the career rushing list - - Henry is also closing in on becoming the 17th player in NFL history to rush for 12,000 yards. . . New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals (**QB Justin Fields leads Jets' rally to overcome a 15-point, 4th-QTR deficit to win 1st game of the season). . . "Sack Man:" On Saturday, Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett, became the third player in NFL history to have 10 or more sacks in eight consecutive seasons, joining Hall of Famers Reggie White & John Randle - - **NOTE: It is the third four-sack game in the history of the Browns franchise. . .Q: Are you, by any measure, surprised that Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett became the 3rd player in NFL history to have 10 or more sacks in eight consecutive seasons?. . . "Another Vintage Performance:" In the Monday Night Football matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs & the Washington Commanders, the Chiefs picked up their fifth win in the past six games, by comfortably defeating the Commanders 28-7 at Arrowhead Stadium. . .but the Chiefs' victory is not nearly as significant as a particular stat that was recorded in this game by a team veteran - - TE Travis Kelce's 10-yard TD late in the 3rd QTR was historic: It was Kelce's 83rd career score, which tied him with former RB Priest Holmes for the most total TDs in Chiefs' franchise history - - To date, Kelce also had the best game of the 2025 NFL regular season - as he led the Chiefs with six receptions on eight targets for 99 yards receiving - - Kelce put together another vintage performance by doing exactly what he had done throughout his entire career: devour zone coverage - - **NOTE: Together, QB Patrick Mahomes & TE Travis Kelce are just the third QB-TE duo in NFL history to connect for 75 TDs, including the playoffs - joining the likes of Tom Brady & Rob Gronkowski (105) and Philip Rivers & Antonio Gates (90). . . - MLB - - 2025 World Series Game 1: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Addison Barger launched the first-ever pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, and Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer as the Blue Jays stormed back to crush the defending champion Dodgers 11-4 in last Friday night's series opener at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada - - Playing in their first "Fall Classic" in 32 years, the Blue Jays erupted for nine runs in the 6th inning, turning a 2-0 deficit into a blowout that electrified a sold-out home crowd & gave Toronto a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series - - Los Angeles, who is seeking to become the first team in a quarter century to win back-to-back titles, stranded three with the bases loaded in the 2nd inning - and stranded another in the 3rd as well - - The 22-year-old RHP, Trey YeSavage, making just his fourth postseason start, became the second-youngest pitcher to ever star in a World Series opener - - Despite their early jitters, Toronto began their comeback in the 4th inning when Kirk singled off the right-field wall, and Daulton Varsho followed with a 423-foot HR to center off Dodgers' Blake Snell, who had not allowed a homer to a left-handed hitter in approximately five months - - Snell unraveled in the 6th inning, giving up a walk to Bo Bichette - who was playing in his first game in seven weeks after sustaining a knee injury - followed by a Kirk single and a Varsho hit-by-pitch to load the bases for the Blue Jays - - The Dodgers, the team with the highest payroll in baseball, looked very rusty after a weeklong layoff following their NLCS sweep of the Detroit Tigers. . .2025 World Series Game 2: Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (0-1): The Los Angeles Dodgers bounced back from the crushing loss in Game 1 of the 2025 World Series with a 5-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday evening in their second consecutive game at the Rogers Centre in Toronto - - Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a great outing for the Dodgers, throwing his second straight complete game while only allowing one run - - **NOTE: Throughout the 2025 MLB postseason, Yamamoto has posted a 1.59 ERA through his four starts in October - - **NOTE: The last player to throw consecutive complete games in the postseason was Curt Schilling in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, when he threw all nine innings in three consecutive games against the St. Louis Cardinals & Atlanta Braves - - The Dodgers took an

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 105 - "The Black Sox Scandal Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football Week Five Review & Recap: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss the major storylines, review, & each provide their individual takeaway's for the Week 5 slate of College Football games from across the country - - Be sure to tune in for an in-depth recap, and discussion of the following game(s), which are included in this week's College Football Review & Recap segment: No.8 Florida State Seminoles at Virginia Cavaliers & the "One-Finger Salute" No.22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Arkansas Razorbacks & the firing of HC Sam Pittman No.21 USC Trojans at No.23 Illinois Fighting Illini No.16 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wake Forest Demon Deacons & the Impact of a Missed "Offsides" Call Auburn Tigers at No.9 Texas A&M Aggies "The Battle for the Magnolia Trophy:" No. 4 LSU Tigers at No.13 Ole Miss Rebels - - Are Trinidad Chambliss & the Ole Miss Rebels legit? Or can we expect the stereotypical "Lane Kiffin-style" collapse at some point this season? No.15 Tennessee Volunteers at Mississippi State Bulldogs No.17 Alabama Crimson Tide at No.5 Georgia Bulldogs No.6 Oregon Ducks at No.3 Penn State Nittany Lions & HC James Franklin is now 4-21 against AP Top 10 ranked opponents - - Will James Franklin & the Nittany Lions ever get over "the hump?" - NCAA College Football Week Six Preview & Predictions: In this episode's Week Six preview, JD & Spencer provide their individual & independently-selected pick(s) and/or predictions for each of the following Week 6 matchups - as well as providing in-depth analysis & reasoning to explain the justification for their selection: **Be Sure to Share Your Picks with Us via Twitter/X - - @TraditionFinest OR Send Us an Email at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com!! Kentucky at No.12 Georgia (-20.5)                          O/U48.5 Wisconsin at No.20 Michigan (-16.5)                         O/U42.5 No.14 Iowa State at Cincinnati (-2.5)                    O/U52.5 "College Gameday:" No.16 Vanderbilt at No.10 Alabama (-10.5)  O/U56.5 No.9 Texas (-6.5) at Florida                                 O/U43.5 No.24 Virginia at Louisville (-7.5)                             O/U62.5 No.11 Texas Tech (-10.5) at Houston                         O/U50.5 Mississippi State at No.6 Texas A&M (-14.5)               O/U57.5 No.3 Miami (-4.5) at No.18 Florida State               O/U54.5 - NFL - NFL Regular Season Week 4 Review: In this week's episode, JD & Spencer will discuss, review & recap each of the following NFL games from Week 4 of the regular season - - Be sure to tune in for a discussion of the major storylines from across the league - as well as an in-depth review & analysis of a few of the most notable games from this past weekend; the following topics & slate of games are discussed in this episode: Los Angeles Chargers at New York Giants & Rookie QB Jaxson Dart's impressive debut as a starter & the Giants' costly win. . . **We reveal our fourth "Tradition's Finest Most Badass Celly of Week Two" Award winner. . . Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers & the Eagles' 20th victory in 21 games. . . **Tennessee Titans rookie QB Cam Ward & his statement regarding the team's winless (0-4) start. . . Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Rams & WR Adonai Mitchell's costly TD "celebration?". . . **49ers DC Robert Saleh & Jaguars HC Liam Coen's heated postgame exchange at midfield after Jacksonville's 26-21 win. . . Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs & the number of injured starters for the Ravens continues to rise. . . Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys & the "abomination" of a tie as a potential outcome for a professional sporting event. . . - NFL (cont'd) - Per ESPN on Monday, Bad Bunny will bring his Latin trap and reggaeton swagger to the NFL's biggest stage next year - - as the Grammy-winning artist will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX halftime show at Levi's Stadium on February 8th in Santa Clara, California - - Bad Bunny has become one of world's most streamed artists as he recently released an all-Spanish-language EP titled "Un Verano Sin Ti,". . .Q: What are your thoughts about the announcement that Bad Bunny will be the halftime performer at next year's Super Bowl LX?. . .Per ESPN's NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Wednesday morning, the Cleveland Browns have decided to bench veteran QB Joe Flacco and will turn to rookie Dillon Gabriel as the team's starter for Sunday's international game (i.e., London) against the Minnesota Vikings - - Flacco started Cleveland's first four games but has thrown six INTs this season, and has committed an NFL-high eight turnovers - and his 27.0 Total QBR ranks above only Titans rookie QB Cam Ward among qualifying passers - - Through the first four weeks of the NFL regular season, the Browns have the NFL's second-lowest scoring offense, averaging just 14 points per game - - Q: Were you surprised that Cleveland Browns HC Kevin Stefanski elected to make the switch at QB from a veteran to a rookie just four weeks into the regular season?. . . - Miscellaneous - PGA/Golf: The U.S. Team fell just short of a historic comeback, tying for the best Singles performance in Ryder Cup history - - Europe went on to defeat the U.S 15-13 in this year's Ryder Cup - - The U.S. became the first home team to lose the event since their collapse at Medinah 13 years ago - - They very nearly completed a comeback that would have blown the miracle out of the water: Trailing 11.5-4.5 to begin the day, the U.S. Team tied the best Singles performance in Ryder Cup history, earning 8.5 of the 12 available points to charge back in contention - - No team had ever come back to win from a deficit greater than four points, yet the U.S. made up five points on the final day - - It was a performance that saved the embarrassment that appeared to be coming, in which the U.S. Team not only lost on home soil, but got their doors blown off by a European team that was better in every facet: on the course & in the captain's room - - U.S. Team captain Keegan Bradley was forced to be an on-looker as Europe's Sam Burns & Robert MacIntyre both putt for birdie on the 17th green, in what remained a tied match, however, it was at this particular moment that European fans broke into song around him - finally letting their voices dominate the atmosphere that had drowned them out after a raucous three days at Bethpage Black - - While Sunday was a day in which the improbable almost happened - after facing a record seven-point deficit after a historically poor first two days at the Ryder Cup - the comeback by the U.S. Team will ultimately get lost in history, primarily, because they fell just short of achieving the success they desired. . .Q: What are your thoughts of the U.S. Team losing to Europe at this year's Ryder Cup, which was played on our own turf?. . . Thanks for Listening!