Sports 'N Torts

EPISODE SUMMARYHow 'Bout Them Dawgs!Georgia went into Tuscaloosa, took down Alabama 20–17, and the boys are still celebrating. This week on College Football's Last Call, Josh, Jason and Laurence break down the Bulldogs' statement victory, Gunner Stockton's outstanding performance, Dwight Phillips' coming-out party, and Mike Bobo's masterful game plan. Plus, Kirby Smart's leaked pregame speech has everyone ready to run through a wall.Of course, no Georgia–Alabama game would be complete without some controversy. The boys weigh in on the disputed pass interference no-call, Alabama's complaints, and whether the Crimson Tide's longtime psychological advantage over Georgia is officially gone.Around the SEC, Arch Manning and Texas stumble against Oklahoma, Cousin Will Stein keeps Kentucky rolling with another dramatic victory, Florida continues its downward spiral, and the playoff picture gets increasingly complicated. Jason also reports back from the Texas State Fair, where his spending performance left something to be desired.Looking ahead, the boys preview Georgia–Auburn, debate whether the Dawgs are vulnerable to a letdown, and discuss the mounting injury concerns. Laurence makes his weekly Sucker Bet pick, and Jason hands out a particularly heated Jimbo of the Week.SHOW NOTESOn this week's Last Call:Georgia conquers Tuscaloosa: The Bulldogs beat Alabama 20–17, and the boys celebrate finally putting the Alabama demons to rest."Is it him or is it me?" Kirby Smart's leaked pregame speech, his postgame celebration, and the culture he's built in Athens.Gunner, Peanut and Bobo: Gunner Stockton's precision, Dwight Phillips' breakout performance, and why Mike Bobo deserves more credit.The pass interference controversy: Did Alabama get robbed, or is everyone overlooking the rest of the game?Red River Rivalry: Oklahoma takes down Texas, Arch Manning struggles, and Steve Sarkisian faces growing pressure.Cousin Will does it again: Will Stein and Kentucky pull off another dramatic win, this time against LSU.Florida's free fall: The Gators lose to South Carolina as the SEC pecking order begins to take shape.The national playoff picture: Georgia sits atop the rankings, Oregon falls out of the Top 25, and the boys debate how many SEC and Big Ten teams deserve playoff spots.Georgia–Auburn preview: Is this a potential trap game following the emotional Alabama victory? And can Georgia get healthy before Florida?Sucker Bet of the Week: Lawrence takes Indiana +3.5 against Ohio State.Jimbo of the Week: Jason calls out Alabama fans for their postgame behavior, with Kirk Herbstreit receiving an honorable mention.Powered by the J. Stein Law Firm a personal injurly law firm in Atlanta, Georgia - www. jsteinlawfirm.com.

EPISODE SUMMARYWhat happens when a former SEC football player, prosecutor and preacher goes into business with a Spanish-speaking former semi professional basketball player who also happens to weld and play chess?You get Banks Weaver.Gabe Banks and Sam Weaver join Sports ’N Torts for a wide-ranging conversation about sports, trial law, entrepreneurship, family and the unlikely partnership behind their Atlanta law firm.Gabe takes us back to his days playing football at Vanderbilt, including dropping what should have been a touchdown against South Carolina—then coming back to score on a 65-yard reverse—and what those experiences taught him about responding when things go wrong. Sam shares his own athletic résumé, including playing basketball while living in Peru and somehow ending up on an intramural basketball team at UGA with Nick Chubb and Malcolm Parrish.The conversation moves from sports to the courtroom, where Gabe and Sam explain their very different trial styles, why they literally play chess while preparing cases, and how those differences have become one of the strengths of their partnership.Gabe also shares stories from his years prosecuting gangs and murders in Fulton County, the threats that came with the job, why he sometimes handed defendants Starbursts during trial, and how becoming a criminal defense lawyer later changed some of his perspective on prosecution.We also get into Sam's unusual welding background and how it became useful in a wrongful-death case involving a defective MARTA guardrail, the influence both men's fathers had on their careers, starting a law firm while their wives were pregnant, managing employees, Gabe opening a pizza restaurant with his daughter, and some of the unexpected challenges that come with owning a business.And somehow we finish with Gerry DiNardo eating a dog biscuit before Vanderbilt played Georgia—and a conversation about authenticity, leadership and why jurors can tell when a trial lawyer is trying to be someone they're not.A fun conversation with two very different lawyers who genuinely enjoy working together—and have plenty of stories to tell.SHOW NOTESGabe Banks and Sam Weaver — Banks WeaverGabe Banks and Sam Weaver join Sports ’N Torts together for a conversation about sports, law, business, family and how two lawyers with very different backgrounds and personalities built Banks Weaver.In this episode:How Gabe and Sam met and decided to start Banks WeaverStarting a law firm while both of their wives were pregnantGabe's Vanderbilt football career and playing in the SECDropping a touchdown against South Carolina—and scoring on a 65-yard reverse shortly afterwardThe lessons Gabe still takes from football into trials and conversations with clientsSam's time living in Peru and his brief career as a “professional” basketball playerA point guard smoking a cigarette immediately before taking the courtHow Sam ended up playing intramural basketball at UGA with Nick Chubb and Malcolm ParrishGabe's perspective on NIL and how college football has changed since his playing daysSam's welding background and the giant metal deer he left behind at UGAHow welding knowledge later became relevant in a MARTA wrongful-death case involving a defective guardrailGabe and Sam's very different courtroom stylesWhy the two literally play chess while preparing cases for trialGabe's years prosecuting gangs and murders in Fulton CountyReceiving threats as a gang prosecutorThe International Robbing Crew caseWhy Gabe handed defendants Starbursts during trialHow moving from prosecution to criminal defense changed Gabe's perspectiveThe pressure of representing someone you believe is innocentThe influence of Gabe's father on his life, confidence and careerSam's relationship with his father and having an experienced lawyer to call for adviceHow Gabe and Sam divide responsibilities at Banks WeaverWhy trust is the foundation of their partnershipGabe's newest business venture with his daughter NicoleOpening a Donatos pizza restaurant and dealing with an electrical outage just before openingThe challenges nobody warns you about when you own a businessManaging employees and learning when to make difficult decisionsA six-figure trust-account fraud problem they never learned about in law schoolGerry DiNardo, Vanderbilt football and eating dog biscuits before playing GeorgiaKirby Smart, leadership and knowing which buttons to pushWhy authenticity matters in coaching, business and the courtroomThe one thing a trial lawyer can never afford to lose with a jury: credibilityAs always, this episode is powered by the J. Stein Law Firm - a personal injury law firm in Atlanta, GA - www.jsteinlawfirm.com.

EPISODE SUMMARYGeorgia is 5–0, Gunner Stockton is gaining confidence, and a trip to Tuscaloosa is up next. Josh Stein, Laurence Kessler and Jason Ganz break down the Bulldogs’ win over Vanderbilt, including Gunner’s sharp passing, Dwight Phillips Jr.’s emerging role, Ellis Robinson’s standout interception and the concerns Georgia needs to address before facing Alabama.Around the SEC, last week’s darlings get a reality check as Missouri rolls Florida and Alabama overwhelms Mississippi State. The guys also debate South Carolina’s latest collapse, give “cousin” Will Stein his flowers and marvel at Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith.Then it’s time for Georgia–Alabama: Gunner’s experience against Keelon Russell’s talent, the challenge of containing a mobile quarterback, injury questions and three predictions favoring the Dawgs. Plus, Laurence’s latest Sucker Bet, Jason’s Jimbo of the Week, a Texas State Fair spending forecast and bonus Braves postseason talk as Atlanta takes its series with the Dodgers back to Truist Park.SHOW NOTESThis week on College Football Last Call:• Georgia–Vanderbilt recap: Gunner Stockton’s precision, the offense spreading the ball around and a defense that tightened up after halftime.• Emerging playmakers: Dwight “Peanut” Phillips Jr. in space, Ellis Robinson’s interception and the value of keeping Georgia’s deep roster involved.• Questions before Tuscaloosa: Running-back health, injuries at receiver and finishing plays against a mobile quarterback.• SEC reality checks: Missouri brings Florida back down to earth, while Alabama ends Mississippi State’s moment in the spotlight.• “Cousin” Will Stein gets his flowers: Kentucky goes for two and wins, while the guys question where Shane Beamer and South Carolina go from here.• National spotlight: Miami handles Clemson, Jeremiah Smith strengthens his Heisman case and Walton’s Jeremy Hecklinski gets a shoutout.• Georgia–Alabama preview: Gunner Stockton versus Keelon Russell, the potential impact of weather, Chris Cole’s role and why all three hosts like Georgia.• Sucker Bet: Laurence puts South Carolina on his no-bet list and follows the SEC’s latest hype cycle to Texas A&M–Missouri.• Jimbo of the Week: Jason takes aim at Jim Mora’s handling of his defensive coordinator.• Texas State Fair preview: Jason sets a spending line—and promises receipts.• Bonus Braves talk: The atmosphere at Truist Park, the pitching setup against Los Angeles and why Atlanta needs its stars to deliver.College Football Last Call is part of Sports ’N Torts, hosted by Josh Stein with Laurence Kessler and Jason Ganz, and powered by J. Stein Law Firm - a personal injury law firm in Atlanta, GA - www.jsteinlawfirm.com.

Gino Brogdon Jr. is an Atlanta trial lawyer, award-winning mediator and entrepreneur who has spent his career learning how people think, negotiate and make difficult decisions.In this episode of Sports ’N Torts, Gino joins Josh for a wide-ranging conversation about the experiences that shaped his career and the lessons he has learned from more than 2,000 mediations.Gino shares the unconventional path that helped him launch his own law firm—including working as a personal trainer before and after his day job and saving the $15,000 he earned to start his practice. That story leads to one of the episode's central ideas, advice passed down from one of his wife's mentors: “It's either triumph or tuition.” You either succeed, or you pay for an experience that teaches you something valuable.Josh and Gino also dig into the importance of relationships and trust in the practice of law, why lawyers may have lost some of the ability to simply pick up the phone and talk to each other, and what thousands of mediations have taught Gino about reading people, negotiation, credibility and human behavior.The conversation gets personal as Gino discusses how becoming a father changed the way he experiences emotionally difficult cases, why authenticity matters when working with people going through tragedy, and why even his trademark three-piece suits are part of showing people that he takes their case seriously.Along the way, Josh and Gino talk AI, psychology, trial experience, mediation strategy, brackets, the value of reps, the importance of understanding how your actions are perceived by the other side—and why sometimes the best education comes from the things that don't go according to plan.Show NotesWhy Gino's mediation calendar stays so busyThe importance of following up after mediation—even when the case doesn't settle that dayWhy lawyers actually answer the phone when Gino callsBuilding relationships through the small touchpoints that happen along the wayWhy trust between lawyers has changed—and whether that has contributed to the rise of mediationThe lost art of simply picking up the phone and calling opposing counselWhy having lunch with the lawyer on the other side can change the entire tone of a caseWhy Gino views mediation as a process rather than a single dayMediation briefs vs. a candid pre-mediation phone callWhat tone and conversation reveal that a written brief never willHow Gino uses AI to prepare for mediationsWhy he doesn't want AI taking over the part of mediation he loves mostMore than 2,000 mediations and the value of reps, intuition and professional judgmentGino's path through Morehouse, UGA Law, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Judge Steve Jones, Barnes Law Group and the Cochran FirmThe advantage of trying different areas of law early in your careerGetting thrown into trials as a young lawyer and learning about juries, people and valueAsking for more money—and being given the opportunity to earn it by trying casesWhy experience can be valuable even when the dollars aren't“It's either triumph or tuition.”Working as a personal trainer before and after his day jobSaving roughly $15,000 from personal training and using it to start his own law firmWhat personal training taught Gino about motivation, positivity and working with peopleWhether lawyers sometimes need to show emotion and anger so their clients know they're fighting for themWhy posturing isn't necessarily a dirty wordZoom vs. in-person mediationThe value of simply walking into the other room, shaking someone's hand and showing some humanityHow failing to do that can change the entire temperature of a mediationGino's psychology background and lifelong interest in understanding peopleWhat still makes Gino nervous after thousands of mediationsHow becoming a father changed the way he experiences cases involving parents who have lost childrenTherapy, emotion and why genuine empathy can't be manufacturedThe mediator's role in carrying some of the emotional weight of a caseSometimes being the “bad guy” really means giving someone an honest reality checkPlaintiffs, adjusters and the different challenges each brings to negotiationWhy “it's not about the money” usually means it's at least a little bit about the moneyHarvard negotiation training and what Gino took from the experienceWhat to do when a lawyer's negotiating strategy is actively working against the goalHelping lawyers understand how their actions are being perceived in the other roomWhy good mediation is about much more than carrying numbers back and forthReading body language, reactions and the temperature in the other roomWhat negotiating moves communicate even when nobody says it out loudBrackets, hypotheticals and the power of trusting a mediator with information that can't be sharedHow early Gino can identify the range where a case should settle—and why that doesn't mean it actually willAnd finally: why Gino Brogdon is always the best-dressed guy in the roomThe three-piece suits, presentation and why dressing for the occasion is another way of telling the people in the room: I'm taking this seriouslyAs always, this episode is powered by the J. Stein Law Firm - a personal injury law firm in Atlanta, GA - www.jsteinlawfirm.com.

Week 4 of college football is in the books, and the boys are back after all three spent a picture-perfect Saturday in Athens watching Georgia dismantle Oklahoma 41–13.Josh, Laurence and Jason break down another dominant performance from the Dawgs, including a suffocating Georgia defense, Chris Cole’s scoop-and-score, the emergence of Talyn Taylor, and a Georgia team that suddenly doesn’t seem to have many obvious weaknesses. They also discuss Oklahoma’s disastrous afternoon, John Mateer seeing ghosts, and some truly baffling decisions from Brent Venables and the Sooners’ coaching staff.Around the SEC, Florida makes another statement by hanging 52 on Ole Miss, LSU sends Texas A&M’s hype train off the tracks, Texas survives Tennessee, and Mississippi State continues to emerge as one of the conference’s most interesting surprises.The guys also head outside the SEC for Oregon-USC, Iowa’s last-second win over Michigan, Penn State’s ugly loss to Wisconsin, and another week of preseason predictions coming back to haunt them.Then it’s on to Week 5: Georgia welcomes Vanderbilt to Athens, Laurence goes searching for another Sucker Bet, Jason hands out his Jimbo of the Week, and somehow the conversation ends exactly where you’d expect — complaining about Major League Baseball and the Braves’ playoff schedule.College football is beginning to sort itself out. Or at least we think it is.SHOW NOTESOn this week’s College Football’s Last Call:A perfect Saturday in Athens — and why nobody wanted to leave Sanford StadiumJason airs his grievances about the Sanford Stadium concoursesGeorgia improves to 4–0 after crushing Oklahoma 41–13Is this the most complete Georgia team we’ve seen in the last few years?Chris Cole’s scoop-and-score and a Georgia defense that had John Mateer seeing ghostsGunner Stockton continues to do exactly what Georgia needsHas Talyn Taylor emerged as Georgia’s go-to receiver?Why was Georgia still throwing and working on things with the game already decided?Texas survives Tennessee — but does Texas actually look like the No. 1 team?The College GameDay kicking contest and the important question: whose money is Pat McAfee giving away?Florida drops 52 on Ole Miss: are the Gators officially for real?LSU destroys Texas A&M and the Aggies revert to the meanThe “Sketchy Dogs” of Mississippi State keep winningOregon beats USC, Dylan Raiola gets his opportunity, and the guys discuss the scary injury to Dante MooreIowa gives Michigan a taste of its own last-second medicinePenn State loses to Wisconsin — and Laurence and Jason somehow still defend their playoff predictionGeorgia-Vanderbilt: does Kirby Smart have a little extra motivation this week?The strange world of SEC kickoff timesLaurence’s Sucker Bet: South Carolina -3 vs. KentuckyJason’s Jimbo of the Week: Oklahoma OC Ben Arbuckle — with Brent Venables earning co-recipient considerationAnd finally: an airing of grievances over the Braves getting afternoon playoff gamesPlus: sucker bets, dead-cat bounces, reversion to the mean, questionable math, weather watching, and more college football nonsense from Week 4.As always, this episode is powered by the J. Stein Law Firm -a personal injury law firm in Atlanta, GA - www.jsteinlawfirm.com