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Podcast - Season 2 Episode 19

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-05-15

On the nineteenth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome John Smoltz (Atlanta Braves, TBS Sports), Tom Verducci (SI, SI.Com) and Chris Ballard (SI, SI.COM) to the podcast. Kicking off the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about John Axford blowing a save and his wife going into labor after, a baseball team forfeiting a championship game because they don't want to play against a girl, and a strange technical foul call on Blake Griffin and Reggie Evans. Also, a book club update of epic proportions, an in-depth look into the NBA and NHL playoffs, and Steve and Don close the show with Pick4.

- John Smoltz makes his first appearance on the podcast (00:18:54) to promote his new book, "Starting and Closing." John shares his thoughts on pitching game seven of the World Series in 1991, where he was when Francisco Cabrera singled to scored Sid Bream, and explains how he got into broadcasting after his career ended. Also, Smoltz shares his dream to play in the PGA Champions Tour, reveals who the best pitcher he has ever played with is, and explains why he never ended up pitching for Michigan State.

- Tom Verducci makes his second appearance (00:50:36) on the podcast to discuss the first six weeks of the baseball season. Verducci talks about Josh Hamilton's incredible start and looks at the complicated negotiation looming this offseason for Hamilton and the Rangers. He also discusses the star power of Matt Kemp, the surprising Baltimore Orioles, and tries to explain what has gone wrong for Albert Pujols.

- Chris Ballard makes his second appearance (01:13:55) on the podcast to promote is new book, "One Shot at Forever: A Small Town, An Unlikely Coach, and a Magical Baseball Season." Ballard reveals how this story that started as a magazine column turned into a 2.5 year book project. Also, Ballard talks about the reluctancy of one of the book's main characters to be interviewed for the book, interest from Hollywood to turn the book into a movie, and why coach Lynn Sweet is the kind of character authors dream of writing about. Before leaving for his book tour, Ballard chats a bit about the NBA. Ballard calls Tim Duncan one of the most underrated basketball players of all-time and predicts and NBA Championship for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Podcast - Season 2 Episode 18

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-05-09

On the eighteenth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Frank Deford (SI, SI.Com, HBO Sports), Jon Wertheim (SI, SI.Com) and Dan Wolken (The Daily) to the podcast. Kicking off the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the Jared Weaver's no hitter, Josh Hamilton's four home run game and the tragic death of Junior Seau . Also, a book club update of epic proportions, an in-depth look into the NBA and NHL playoffs, and Steve and Don close the show with Pick4.

- Frank Deford makes his first appearance (00:23:34) on the podcast and declines to name the sports writers who would take their spot beside him on the Mount Rushmore of Sports Writing. Deford also talks about the decision to write his memoir, the heartbreak of losing a daughter to cystic fibrosis, and his relationship with tennis star Arthur Ashe.

- Jon Wertheim makes his eighth appearance (00:52:37) on the podcast to discuss the quality of today's sports writing, his upcoming trip to Paris for the French Open, and his excitement over covering his first Olympics. Jon also speculates on what a modern day "Battle of the Sexes" would be like, reports on the UFC's difficulties in New York, and promises to come on the podcast sometime with his Scorcasting partner Tobias Moskowitz for a long discussion on loss aversion.

- Dan Wolken makes his fourth appearance (01:31:28) on the podcast to discuss The Daily's evolution to an iPhone app. Dan also talks about Predators quick exit from the NHL playoffs, violence in the NFL, and his preferred college football playoff format.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 02:01:29, Size: 58317407 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 17

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-05-01

On the seventieth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Richard Deitsch (SI, SI.Com), Matt Crossman (The Sporting News) and Dave Meltzer (Grantland.Com, Pro Wrestling Observer) to the podcast. Kicking off the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NHL and NBA playoffs, a sad loss in the swimming world and update the status of the sale of the Dodgers. Also, a book club update, round 2 of the way too early fantasy football mock draft, and Steve and Don close the show with Pick4.

- Richard Deitsch makes his sixth appearance on the podcast (00:20:35) and immediately starts busting our balls about the GREAT Lee Jenkins. Deitsch talks about the effect twitter had on the NFL Draft, puts down the Sport's Emmy's, and teases us some more about Lee Jenkins. Deitsch made sure to give credit to ESPN for their piece called, "Man in the Red Bandana" saying it is one of the best videos ESPN has ever done.

- Matt Crossman makes his third appearance on podcast (00:42:27) and takes us inside his bonus piece called, "Overcoming Grief." The piece chronicles draft day for a kid from Clemson named Coty Sensabaugh (DB) who got picked by the Titans way earlier than predicted by draft experts. The Sensabaugh family has overcome the grief of losing Coty's older brother to leukemia. Matt also talks about the disappointing start for Albert Pujols in Anaheim and the Bobby Valentine in Boston.

- Dave Meltzer makes his first appearance on the podcast (01:17:56) and takes the podcast to a place its never been before. Meltzer is one of the top guys covering professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Steve and Dave talk about the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans fight, the future of UFC in New York, and discuss who belongs on the Mount Rushmore of WWE wrestlers.

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Podcast - Season 2 Episode 16

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-04-24

On the sixteenth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ bring you the most jam packed and diverse episode in the history of the podcast. Tas Melas from The Basketball Jones podcast makes his first appearance on the show, Adam Rank from NFL.COM and the Dave Dameshek Football Program makes his second, Mark Titus from Grantland.com makes his first, and Alex Belth from the Bronx Banter Blog makes his third appearance on the podcast.

-Tas Melas joins the guys (00:21:20) to preview the NBA playoffs. Tas tells the guys why he thinks LeBron James is the MVP of the league and why Gregg Popovich should be coach of the year. Also, Tas chats about Blake Griffin's development, why he thinks the Heat would beat the Bulls in a playoffs series, and explains why the Mavericks have struggled to defend the NBA title.

-Mark Titus is on (00:59:08) to promote his book, "Don't Put Me in Coach, My Journey from the End of the Bench to the End of the Bench." Titus talks about the challenges of being funny, staying true to his voice and style as a writer, and explains how his current boss Bill Simmons gave him his first big break in the media. Titus started college as a PreMed/Math major with a 3.8 GPA, but by the time he graduated his degree was in marketing and his future was with writing.

-Adam Rank joins the guys (01:47:13) to chat about the NFL Draft, his work on the Dave Dameshek Football Podcast, and his thoughts on the first round of next year's fantasy football drafts. We also talked with Rank about his stand up comedy career and the progress of our previous plan to start an all car-chase television network.

-Alex Belth talks (02:21:24) about the great start that Derek Jeter and the Yankees have had. We also get into a real interesting discussion about media, writers, and who Alex enjoys reading. Belth talks about Frank Deford's legacy and the deep bench that Sports Illustrated had in the 70's and 80's.

Steve and Don start the show with 3Things and close it out with pick4. In between, the guys have a way too early fantasy football mock draft, preview the NHL's first round game sevens, and make quite a few huge announcements in the book club update.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 03:02:10, Size: 87445401 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 15

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-04-17

On the fifteenth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, Steve and Don welcome Kirk Morrison (Bufflalo Bills, Fox Sports Radio), Bill Moushey and Bob Dvorchak (Authors of Game Over), and Rob Pizzo (The Score). Morrison joins the guys (00:08:30) to talk about his future with the Buffalo Bills, his radio show on Fox Sports Radio, and remembers his draft experience. Moushey and Dvorchak talk (00:31:10) about their new book "Game Over: Jerry Sandusky, Penn State, and the Culture of Silence." Pizzo joins the guys (01:02:40) to continue a discussion on the NHL Playoffs. Also, Steve and Don start the show with 3Things, update the book club, talk about the NHL Playoffs, and end the show with Pick4.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 01:25:45, Size: 41164154 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 14

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-04-10

On the fourteenth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Lars Anderson (Sports Illustrated, SI.COM), Ben Reiter (Sports Illustrated, SI.COM), and Darren Eliot (Former NHL Player, SI.COM) to the podcast. Anderson is making his first appearance on the show and he chats with Steve (00:17:29) about his magazine article on Knile Davis of the Arkansas Razorbacks and the strange twist that the story took when Bobby Petrino's motorcycle accident turned into a national scandal. Anderson also discusses teaching a communication class at the University of Alabama, the future of SI on the iPad, and the NASCAR season. Ben Reiter also is making his first appearance on the podcast and he joins the guys (00:49:56) to talk about the first weekend of the baseball season. Reiter is surprised by the Mets 4-0 start, is blown away by the sale price of the Dodgers, and isn't quite sure who the best team is in the AL Central. Eliot is the third guest of the night to be making his first appearance on the podcast and he is the first guest in the history of The Sports-Casters to have played NHL games for the Buffalo Sabres. Eliot is on the show (01:43:29) to preview the NHL playoffs. Also on the podcast, Steve and Don talk about the Masters, update the book club, give their picks for the first round of the NHL playoffs, and close the show with Pick4.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 02:22:50, Size: 68202978 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 13

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-04-03

On the thirteenth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, Steve and Don welcome Jane Leavy (Author, Writer and Lee Jenkins (SI, SI.COM) back to the podcast and interview Adrian Dater (Denver Post, SI) for the first time. Jane Leavy makes her third appearance on the podcast (00:20:59) and continues an ongoing project to preview the upcoming MLB Season. Jane talk about the end of the Derek Jeter era in New York, money in baseball, and why she still isn't on twitter. Lee Jenkins makes his eighth appearance on the podcast (00:47:36) to discuss his thoughts on the NCAA Tournament, the revival of LeBron James' image, and what he is looking for at the start of the baseball season. Adrian Dater makes his debut (01:13:38) on the show and talks pucks with Steve. Dater sizes up the playoff races in each conference, mocks the Devils vs. Panthers playoff series, and picks the Penguins to win the Stanley Cup. Also on the show, Steve and Don start the show with 3Things, update the book club, list their favorite sports uniforms, and close with pick 4.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 01:47:53, Size: 51788467 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 12

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-03-27

On the twelfth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, Steve and Don present an epic podcast that is loaded with star power. Jonah Keri (Grantland), Tim Layden (Sports Illustrated, SI.COM), and Roy MacGregor (Globe and Mail) all appear on what is a podcast with a loaded guest list. Keri makes his third appearance on the podcast to preview the upcoming Major League Baseball season. Keri discusses the return of many star players from injury, the impact that rookies could have this year, and stops short of making a World Series pick. Layden is making his second appearance on the podcast and discusses a bunch of different topics. First, Steve and Tim talk about Union College's improbable run to the Frozen Four, then talk about the Saints and Layden's unique relationship with Drew Brees. The majority of the interview focuses on the NCAA Basketball Final Four and Mr. Layden's thoughts on all four teams still standing. MacGregor is the last guest on the podcast and discusses his book, "Wayne Gretzky's Ghost and Other Tales from a Lifetime in Hockey." MacGregor also talks about his lifetime obsession with Tom Thompson, being named an officer of the Order of Canada, and explains why he thinks the Sabres are a dangerous team if they qualify for the NHL playoffs. Also on the podcast, Steve and Don talk about the football news of the week in 3Things, have different takes on this week's TSC 10, and close the show by making predictions for this weekends college basketball action. The podcast is long, but epic, and is one of the best shows this season.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 02:45:35, Size: 79486413 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 11

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-03-20

On the eleventh episode of the second season of the Sports-Casters, Steve and Don interview Damon Hack (Sports-Illustrated, SI.COM), Neil Best (Newsday), and Patrick Burke (YouCanPlay). Hack is making his fourth appearance on The Sports-Caster and gives Steve and Don a national perspective (00:29:45) on the Bills signing Mario Williams, gives his opinion on Peyton Manning ending up in Denver, and predicts a harsh punishment is coming for all involved in "bounty gate." Neil Best is making his third appearance on the show and gives his thoughts (01:19:23) on the NCAA Basketball tournament, remembers his days as a student watching hockey games at Cornell, and updated us on the career of Mike Francesca. Patrick Burke is the last guest on the show (01:56:28) and explains how the tragic death of his brother lead to the creation of the YouCanPlay initiative. Patrick talks with Steve about the prospects of a gay athlete coming out in today's sports world and discusses his duties as a pro scout for the Philadelphia Flyers. Steve and Don kick off the show talking NFL free agency and NCAA basketball during 3Things, update the book club, reveal their top 10 NHL players, and close out the show with some predictions.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 02:28:32, Size: 71304235 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 10

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-03-13

On the tenth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, Steve and Don welcome Luke Winn (Sports Illustrated, SI.COM), Andrew Lawrence (Sports Illustrated, SI.COM) and Todd Fritz (The DP Show). Luke Winn joins the guys (00:32:28) to preview the NCAA Basketball tournament. Luke explains why he thinks Kentucky will win the tournament, talks about his goals for the At the Tourney blog, and explains why Florida St. was a bad match up for St. Bonaventure. Andrew Lawrence joins the guys (01:09:33) to talk about the fast moving world of NFL free agency. Lawrence laughs at the crazy money that the Redskins gave Pierre Garcon, praises the Bills for being aggressive, and says he expects the Commissioner to come down hard on the New Orleans Saints. Todd Fritz makes his second appearance (01:45:56) on the podcast and as a die hard Broncos fan he gives his opinion on Payton Manning. Also, Fritz chats with the guys about his role on The DP Show, the plusses of working in the greatest office in the world, and gives his honest opinion on Dan Patrick's contentious appearance on the David Letterman show. Steve and Don talk NFL, high school basketball, the Syracuse Orange and more during 3Things. Steve updates the book club, Don gives his top 10 sports video games of all time while Steve gives his top 10 sports documentaries. Pick4 closes one of the most jammed packed episodes of The Sports-Casters to date.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 02:20:30, Size: 67444800 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 09

posted by Sports-casters at 2012-03-06

On the ninth episode of the second season of The Sports-Casters, Steve and Don welcome Grant Wahl (Sports Illustrated, SI.COM), Tony Pauline (SI.COM), and Jeff Marek (Rogers Sportsnet) to the program. Wahl makes his first appearance (00:24:45) and breaks the podcast's soccer cherry. Wahl talks about the upcoming MLS season, puts the US victory over Italy into perspective, and laughs with the guys about the limitless talent of Alex Morgan. Tony Pauline is also making his first appearance on the podcast and joins the guys (00:55:51) to recap the NFL scouting combine and look ahead to the NFL Draft. Pauline talks about the rise of Dontari Poe, compares Trent Richardson to Adrian Peterson, and gives his pick if he was running the Bills organization. Jeff Marek makes his second appearance on the show (01:25:53) and has fun talking about breaking windows with Rik Emmett of Triumph, discusses the popularity of junior hockey in Canada, and looks forward to the return of Sidney Crosby. Also on the show, Steve and Don try to sort out the mess that is the New Orleans Saints offseason, update their list of Stanley Cup contenders, and update the book club.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 01:50:57, Size: 53263236 bytes)

Podcast - Season 2 Episode 08

posted by Sports-Casters at 2012-02-28

On the last episode of The Sports-Casters in February, Steve and Don welcome the great Dave Dameshek, the controversial Dan Levy, and the passionate Andy Stickland. Dameshek makes his first appearance on the show since season 1's 50th episode and joins the guys (00:27:10) to talk about his season at the NFL Network, the mushy brain of Sidney Crosby, and his usual mix of hooey and applesauce. Levy makes his second visit to the podcast and discusses (01:12:28) his new role at Bleacher Report, his disdain for New Jersey governor Chris Christie, and gets into a debate with Steve about the proper channels of guest booking. Is Steve the McNulty of podcast booking? Strickland makes his first appearance (01:53:01) on the podcast and brings with him a boatload of passion and energy to a conversation about minor hockey in St. Louis, the NHL trade deadline, and the future of the St. Louis Blues. Also on the show, 3Things gets it going, Steve and Don talk about movies, a quick book club update, and Pick4 closes it out.

Download Episode (Right Click, Save As - MP3, Length: 02:24:12, Size: 69215902 bytes)

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