If These Balls Could Talk

Special Guest: Jefim PiekarzTopics Discussed:Who is the team to beat after the MLB trade deadline? What went wrong with the Mets this year and should they feel hopeful for the future?What are our thoughts on a possible legends homerun derby?Is the current Yankee lineup truly a winner and why didn't they make any significant moves before the trade deadline?What are our thoughts on Aaron Rodgers' recent behavior with the Jets? Where do we see Jonathan Taylor landing and do we see him coming back to form?Would you eat chicken or any other meat grown in a lab otherwise known as cultivated meat? What did we think of MCU's Secret Invasion and are we in the final days of the MCU?Pick Your BallsWhat impact will generative AI have in the news cycle and on journalism in general?

Special Guest: George RobareTopics Discussed:Do we think the USWNT could be the first to ever three-peat a World Cup?What are our thoughts about Wrexham AFC facing off against Manchester United?What do we think will be the effect of Messi playing in the MLS on American kids and this country as a whole? How are these Saudi Arabian backed deals impacting the football world and what happens to a sport loved by the world when all the superstars are playing in one place?Why are NFL franchises giving fully guaranteed contracts to rookies?How did Giants GM Joe Schoen annihilate Saquon Barkley so badly and will it effect Barkley’s play this upcoming season?Will the recent successes of Barbie and Oppenheimer help or hurt the writers and actors strikes?What do we think about Netflix’s inability to read the room and the future of AI generated content both with actors and with writers?Have we tried or do we have any interest in playing pickleball and do we think the pickleball phenomenon will last?Do we miss cable and what are your favorite ‘must watch’ movies?

Special Guest: Rick MarshallTopics Discussed:What will be the effect of the recent sale of the Washington Commanders? How did the NFL runningback become a plug-and-play position and will it ever go back to normal?What does the Northwestern hazing scandal say about college sports and does it need more regulation?Do we think DeAndre Hopkins made the right decision and does this make Tennessee competitive?Do we like the new NBA In-Season tournament?Are we excited for The Marvels movie and why is Iman Vellani so fun to watch?Will there be the same anti-vaccine movement as COVID-19 vaccine after the FDA approved a shot for RSV in infants and potentially pregnant women? What are our thoughts about monopolies in the gaming industry and the possible merger between ATVI and Microsoft? How does this deal and many like it get us closer to centralized cloud gaming in the future?Ten Quick Shots to Your BallsAre small market teams taking over baseball from the teams with larger team salaries like the Yankees and Mets that continue to struggle to survive?

Special Guest: Lillian RiceTopics Discussed:What should the Bengals do with Joe Burrow’s contract extension and what will it mean for Ja'Maar Chase?Is Joe Burrow as cool as he seems and what’s our thoughts on the Bengals 23-24 campaign? What are our thoughts on Elly de la Cruz on the Reds and the use of a bat knob?With the Yankees feeling the absence of Aaron Judge, is there a rush to get him back into the lineup? Also, how is something so seemingly simple turned into a long term, large injury discussion?What are our thoughts on the Bob Baffert suspension getting extended at the Kentucky Derby?Why do we feel Biles is returning to Gymnastics and how did her actions contribute to the importance of mental health in sports?What should DC do after The Flash movie? Did the flop have anything to do with Ezra Miller?Are we grossed out by hot dog eating contests and what allows Joey Chestnut to even eat 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes?With more companies such as Alef Aeronautics getting FAA clearance for their flying car, how do we expect the world to react?With the hype behind Wembanyama, how important is the summer league for the top NBA draft picks? How much better are the Spurs with this addition?

Special Guest: Oak MillerTopics Discussed:Is it too soon to start talking about Luis Arraez batting .400?What does 5000m champion Parker Valby’s deal with Nike say for NIL’s future in college sports? Is Shohei Otani going to be the new archetype for today’s MLB player?How has the fiscal position of an NCAA athletic program become the main focus of whether or not a team is good? Is this what we can look forward to from the NIL era?With the recent new world record for 2 miles, is the Norwegian method the future of running?What are your feelings on the concept of an enhanced Olympics where everyone is on PED's?What are our thoughts on using Ozempic for weight loss and becoming a pill?Do you think AlphaGo is just Google’s next attempt to break through in this brand-new market? What do we think is the next step for AI and large language models?Was the controversial loss for the Rangers an argument for robot umpires?Why does the NFL suddenly care about sports gambling among its athletes?

Special Guest: Natalie BurnettTopics Discussed:Will the emergence of small market teams revitalize scouting and slow down big contracts? What are our thoughts on Lionel Messi playing for MLS team Inter Miami?How do we feel about USMNT after winning the CONCACAF Nations Title?As Wrexham AFC continues to get marketed by pitchman Ryan Reynolds, do you think it has a limit?Did the Suns get better after trading for Bradley Beal or do we feel they didn’t learn from losing to the Nuggets? With the rise of streaming platforms across sports broadcasting, how will the landscape of it change over the next few years? What do we like or dislike about team HR celebrations in baseball?Are we excited about the new Disney+ streaming series Secret Invasion? Are we annoyed about adding another plot flexing trope like shape shifting to one that already has multiple dimensions and time travel?What do we think went wrong with the missing submersible or would you pay $250k to explore the deep water? What are our thoughts about copyrighting in music, sampling, and the state of original music in general?

Special Guest: Melanie CampionTopics Discussed:How do we feel the WNBA is doing after all these years and where will it go?How has it taken so long for the WNBA to start talking about this obvious safety measure for professional athletes?Why are franchises not more loyal to coaches? How can these player unions help their athletes succeed with mental wellness?How do we feel about AI being able to detect breast cancer? What are our thoughts about Nikola Jokic just wanting to go home to Serbia after winning a title and why were the Nuggets so good this year?What are our thoughts about the possibilities of robot umpires?What should cities do to fight against abrasive parents at their kids' games?What are our thoughts about the change in tone from Mike McDermott and the early absence of Stefon Diggs with regards to his disappointment at the end of last season? How much closer is society to driverless vehicles?

Topics Discussed:Are you gents excited for the promise of the Bills in Buffalo for another 30 years? And what are our thoughts about the taxpayers paying for more than half of this stadium?Why did the PGA and LIV tour ultimately merge and what might be the last effects?Why does the threat of dangerous forest fires seem more real than ever before? And how does government support need to change to be to effectively warn at risk people?Is Rose Xiang the next Tiger Woods after winning the first pro tournament she played?Who would you want to be the hard knocks team? Is there a curse, or is it just a distraction to an already struggling team? Is it fair or foul for a coach to call out his team publicly? How would you respond?What do we feel about the conflict of interest with the CEO of OpenAI advising government on how regulate AI?How will Apple’s VR investment pan out and is it any different than the attempts from other companies like Facebook? Do you think Damar Hamlin will play this season and should he be playing?Is LeBron James possibly retiring the next never ending story?

Special Guest: Katie FawkesTopics Discussed:What game in the NFL season are we looking forward to the most?What are our feelings on the ethical repercussions of sports gambling by professional athletes? Is it likely that Ja Morant is another Aaron Hernandez after yet another incident with a gun and what do the parents do to alter repetitive bad behavior?Why doesn’t Hollywood have any original ideas anymore?Does the potential marriage between the Athletics and Las Vegas seem worthwhile?What stadium should we go to this summer? What’s your favorite Major league ballpark and why?With the WGA strike, what do we watch without new programming? How can we be more aware of our own mental health? What things can folks do to normalize their own struggles?What do we feel is next for Taylor Swift after breaking up with Joe Alwyn?How is Martha Stewart defying the laws of nature by simply cutting carbs and how cool of a statement this is by the folks at Sports illustrated and their clearly chauvinistic history?

Special Guest: Erik GuhlTopics Discussed:How smart is it to sign Jordan Love to a one year extension?With an abundance of physical skills do we think Anthony Richardson is the solution to the Colt’s problems? Or will this be another QB gamble gone wrong?Is it fair by the Grizzlies to say that Dillon Brooks would not be returning “under any circumstances”?Who’s going to win the clash of maybe the 2 best teams in basketball between the Celtics and 76er's?How do you overcome an NBA superstar injury and is the NBA too reliant on superstar players more so than other sports? With a huge amount of talent let go and a trust in injury prone nightmares like Rodon and Hicks do we think Brian Cashman is the problem with the Yankees? Will the Yankees be able to turn it around and catch the red hot rays that are 8.5 games ahead approaching the quarter of a season mark?Who is your favorite to win the Stanley Cup with the Bruins bowing out after the first round?Do we agree with Mr. Hinton that the average human won't be able to distinguish between real and fake content with AI generated content? And what do we think about open AI’s continued push forward and it’s decision to monetize with Chat GPT+?Gambling With Your BallsWith Carter’s recent legal problems do you think he will be worth such an early pick? And do we agree with the trend of top defensive players being drafted in the first round?

Special Guest: Stephen KullasTopics Discussed:Does Aaron Rodgers make The Jets an instant champion contender or did they overpay for another crazy old rich dude?What does it mean for the league and for Lamar Jackson to finally get a big contract signed?What do we think about the recent rivalry between the Yankees and Blue Jays, the odd points of escalation over the last year (Vlad Guerro Jr. saying he’d die before he played for the Yankees) and blood feuds in baseball in general?What is the biggest surprise in the MLB season thus far?What are our predictions on the Shohei Ohtani impending free agency contract? Who needs him, who eventually gets him and for how much?Can the Lakers actually make it to the Finals and what should the Grizzlies take away from this series?With real sponsorship, professional promotional talent, and an actual stage to play on, do you think Wrexham will continue to be promoted? Do you think they can make the premiere league on this trajectory?What do you remember about the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding incident?How will AI generated content be used/misused during this election cycle and in the upcoming years? And, more importantly, what kind of limitations and laws need to be put in place as this technology matures?What repercussions will happen with the sudden exits of Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon?

Special Guest: Jefim PiekarzTopics Discussed:How will the contract that Jalen Hurts signed affect Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Justin Herbert?Does age in a QB matter or would you rather field smarts that might improve with being older?Are the Sacramento Kings a real contender?What are some of our favorite stories of the baseball season so far? And who should we look out for? Does it mean anything that Arch Manning was not named the starter at Texas?How do these additional proposed rule changes sound? Is baseball even that broken to begin with?How has the world changed since the Boston Marathon bombing and have most people forgotten about it?After a whole phase of the MCU devoted to Jonathan Majors first, does Marvel replace him in the role of Kang? Or will they follow the example of the DCEU and their treatment of problematic Ezra Miller?Pick Your Balls What does Marvel need to do to get back on track in phase 5? Which storyline or character would you love to see on the big screen?

Special Guest: Kevin StephensonTopics discussed:Which NFL team ideology do we agree with the most and which team would you rather be in?Will the value of the RB1 continue to change in the NFL and will contracts continue to go down?What are your thoughts on the NBA play in tournament?What do we think about Bronny James and not being committed to a college program yet and what do you think it’s like being the son of one of the greatest basketball players of all time?What does it say about an organization that moved failed Pistons coach Dwane Casey to the front office?What do names like Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark and the Cavinder twins do for women’s NCAA basketball in the NIL era? And with a young team, under the leadership of Kim Mulkey, will we see an LSU repeat next year?Has this country become numb about gun violence?What do we think about the arbitrary no alcohol after the 7th inning rule at MLB games? Ten Quick Shots to Your BallsWhat do we think about Jeremy Renner's miraculous recovery his clearly heroic actions? What would you do if faced with a similar situation?

Special Guest: Jeff StoltzfusTopics Discussed:What will and should happen to the Arizona Cardinals owner after the latest allegations of cheating and discrimination? Of the 4 top QB’s in the draft; CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson, who will be drafted first? and who are we the most excited by?Who would you draft as the #1 pick for the NFL and who is the best player on the board?Can Baker Mayfield still be relevant and why hasn’t he found a program that he can be successful in yet? Is Jalen Carter smart for not taking meetings outside of teams not drafting in the top 10?What does Rendon’s deal make you think about guaranteed money in modern sports contracts?What upcoming movie are we most looking forward to?Does it matter if the new Super Mario Bros. movie is good or not? And how much do we think Illumination and Nintendo are betting on a persistent Mario Movie universe?What do we think of Discord acquiring teens app Gas and to what other social media trends should we pay attention?How do you think we should ‘fix’ superhero movies and do you think that James Gunn do it for the DCEU?

Special Guest: Matt AngierTopics Discussed:Do we agree or disagree with how Lamar Jackson is dealing with the Ravens?Can a different billionaire fix the Washington Commanders?What are we most looking forward to this MLB season?Is Yankees prospect Anthony Volpe the real deal?Where does Roman Reigns fit amongst the greatest champions?What match are we looking the most forward to this weekend? And, what do you think was the greatest WrestleMania match of all time?What wrestler needs to get more of a push from WWE or who do you miss that is no longer with WWE?What’s our thoughts about the sale of the WWE, a merger with UFC and what that looks like for the future of sports entertainment?How prevalent do you think steroids existed or even still exist in professional wrestling?Who is at fault in the lawsuit involving Gwyneth Paltrow and why are the rich suing each other?

Takeover EditionSpecial Guest Hosts: Tim and Doug FeyesTopics Discussed:How is your March Madness bracket doing and what are your thoughts on legalized sports gambling?Did you ever get an obscure gift that forced you to root for a random team?Are people getting tired of superhero sequels and would rather watch teen horror flicks like M3gan?What kind of food do you enjoy at sporting events?What are our thoughts on TikTok being grilled by Congress?Why would the NFL pay running backs large salaries?How are we enjoying all of the Star Wars shows on Disney+?What is your favorite 90's sports movie?What is the differences between all of the different kind of whiskeys?Who has been the biggest waste of money during NFL offseason?

Special Guest: Andy BollingTopics Include:What has been the biggest transaction thus far during the NFL offseason?Will the Jets ultimately get Aaron Rodgers and why does he think an aging Randall Cobb is better than Garrett Wilson?How many brackets did we fill out this year and who do we think are the favorites to win the tournament?Does the Darren Waller trade make the Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley instantly better and will the New York Giants contend?What do we think about Tiger Woods’ use of NDA’s and do we have thoughts on his ex-girlfriend trying to get out of it?What do we about the new rules regarding name, image and likeness in college sports?Who do we feel is to blame for the wrongful death on the set of “Rust”?Why is Brett Goldstein (aka Roy F***ing Kent) so great?What is going on with Ja Morant and do we feel he is truly sorry?Will FIFA agree to equal pay for the men's and women's World Cup winners?

Special Guest: Dane FawkesTopics Discussed:What should be the fate of TikTok in the US?Will the New York Giants compete in 2023?Does the NFL need to change its definition of a catch?What did the Jonathan Quick deal say about the NHL trade deadline and why trade an obvious playoff legend?Are the Bruins a lock to be in the Stanley Cup finals?Is the Patrick Kane trade another case at New York sports team trying to buy a playoff berth?How do we feel about new rules in baseball to affect time of game?Is the MLS at an inflexion point in the U.S.?Ten Quick Shots to Your BallsIs crime and cover-up always been a problem in college sports?

Special Guest: Brad HartwellTopics Discussed:Why do we feel that the Philadelphia coordinators got hired as head coaches over other candidates?Are the trade rumors for Justin Fields an attempt to build trade value for him or other draft picks?Did Lamar Jackson make a mistake by representing himself during contract negotiations?What should the Eagles do with Jalen Hurts?Do we feel that Tiger Woods could win another tournament after walking 72 holes last weekend?Who is Matt McClung and how can a G League player win the All Star Slam Dunk Contest?Is Microsoft making the right choice in having the world as beta testers for the AI version of Bing?Where is the best fit for Victor Wembanyama and where does he fit in with other generational players?Who will have a better year…Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani?What do we feel is the next step in the U.S. dealing with Russia?

Special Guests: Tim and Lisa FeyesTopics Discussed:Do we feel the right teams made it to the Super Bowl?Did their podcast help Jason and Travis Kelce make it to the Super Bowl and which is the better player?What is Aaron Rodgers’ legacy and who will he play for next year?Will running back speed become a requirement for future quarterbacks?Was Kellen Moore the issue with the Cowboys offense or did Mike McCarthy on his final days as Cowboys coach?Did Colin Kaepernick ultimately bring sports activism into the 21st century?What are the best DIY shows to watch and where do we get inspiration for home improvement projects?What should the official standpoint be on Russian athletes for the Olympics?Should there be some kind regulation for ticket reselling sites?With LeBron James breaking the career points record, is he the best to ever play the game?

Special Guest: Katie FawkesTopics Discussed:Do we feel the NFL needs to take a look at how games are officiated in the playoffs with regards to the people and technology?Is the world ready to explore the world after COVID-19 and what's the coolest trip that everyone has been on?What are the thoughts on the Bruins and could they actually take the Stanley Cup this season?Have we seen The Last of Us and why is HBO so good at making a drama series?Is Netflix making the right decision about canceling shows so quickly or are they overreacting?Is Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast) paying to cure people's blindness and recording their reactions a wonderous form of generosity, exploitation or both?What the hell is wrong with James Dolan for using facial recognition software to identify his enemies?Is Britney Spears really doing OK and is it a good thing if her fans are calling the police for a health check because of social media posts?Show Me Your Balls! (Ranking Our Favorite Hollywood Couples)How can the world fix an economy that is still reliant on oil and oil companies?

Special Guest: Colin BeechTopics Discussed:Do we feel that Frank Reich was the right hire or is this just a continuation to the race issue we have among NFL head coaches?Did the NFL accidentally light a fire against the Bengals with the possible neutral site for the AFC Championship game?Do we feel the Hall of Fame truly represents the best players in the game and what should happen to the players connected to steroids?What do we think of the speed of AI advancement?What do we feel happened to Sean McVay and is he really in it for the long haul?Is it time for John to jump on the electric vehicle bandwagon?What movies have we seen that have been nominated for Best Picture and do we have a favorite to win?Is it a big mistake for the Giants to triple down on Daniel Jones as their franchise quarterback?Do sports leagues really care about domestic violence?Does being related to the Bills owner an advantage or disadvantage for rising tennis star Jessica Pegula?

Special Guest: Jefim PiekarzTopics Discussed:What will ultimately happen with Lamar Jackson?Will the Giants double down on Danny Dimes and should Brian Daboll win coach of the year?Do the Jags have any chance against the Chiefs and/or could this be a coming out party for Trevor Lawrence?What's wrong with baseball and what do they hope to gain with the new rule changes?Who do we think is this year’s NFL MVP? What do you think happened to Brett Mahar and are the yips for real?Why should Mark get a Netflix account?How excited are we about Ant-Man and the promise of a villain more dangerous than Thanos?Are the Mets done with their spending spree or are there more big contracts forthcoming?Do you think the U.S. is excited for the U.S. Women's National Team to play and do we feel they can win this year?

Special Guest: Matt MedeirosWhat is your Super Bowl matchup and who might be a dark horse and provide at least one upset in the upcoming playoffs?After Kliff Kingsbury got fired, is this the end of the longest con in NFL history and can the Cardinals improve under new management?Which NFL head coaching vacancy is the most desirable?How do you think Stetson Bennett will do the NFL draft and will he be drafted as a quarterback?What should ultimately happen with Ime Udoka? What's going on at the WWE and do we feel Stephanie McMahon left because her father returned?Why so much drama revolving Carlos Correa?Is Jared Goff really the long-term quarterback for the Lions?What should the Patriots do with their offense?What's wrong with air travel in the U.S. and what can we do to fix it?

Special Guest: Sadie CampanellaTopics Discussed:Why is Damar Hamlin such an interesting story?Who might be the next American to win a tennis major and could that person bring dominance back to this country?Is Djokovic's refusal to get vaccinated affecting his tennis season and his legacy?What are your thoughts on additional days of NFL football?Are you ready for our robot overlords and are you ready that AI is part of our regular existence?Can a negative reputation completely incapacitate a player's ability?Why is the NBA seeing an unprecedented scoring boom and can Luca Doncic be stopped?What are your thoughts on the upcoming D&D movie?Do you think Brittney Griner is rushing a return to the WNBA and is an award for her warranted?Do the violent movies we love like John Wick play a role in today's gun violence epidemic?

Special Guest: Amy WarrenTopics Discussed:What are your thoughts on Brock Purdy and should we get rid of the term Mr. Irrelevant?Did Deebo Samuel meant apologizing for running over a media member or was it a PR move?Do we feel that American dominance in tennis is dissipating?Why do we like the Netflix show Wednesday so much?Do we feel if baseball financial model sustainable?Who do you like in the World Cup final?Can Alex Ovechkin reach Gretzky’s career goals and will we see another 800 goal scorer?Has Disney forgotten how to release a hit animated movie?Ten Quick Shots to John's BallsWhat are your feelings on Russian players participating in the Olympics under a neutral country and is their participation inappropriate?

Special Movie EditionSpecial Guest: Doug Feyes

Special Guest Matt AngierTopics Discussed:Why did the Browns take such a risk on DeShaun Watson and is he worth it?Have franchises gone overboard to where there are too many stats involved with sports?Are the Houston Astros the new "Evil Empire" and could they be the first team to defend a World Series title since 2000 Yankees?Will we ever see an NFL franchise outside of the United States?What does the WWE need to do to continue to stay relevant in the Internet age?Will we ever see a great heavyweight boxer again?Can the U.S. men's soccer team be a competitor on the world stage?Will we see a resurgence of big men in the NBA?Are you having Marvel overload?John Keeps the Ball Rolling

Special Guest: Stephanie Ford-SteffanTopics Discussed:Do we still feel the Bills are the favorite to make the Super Bowl out of the AFC?Does it seem like more top talent gets hurt every year?Which player acquisition has made the biggest impact in the NFL?Does Seattle Mariners player Julio Rodriguez deserve a big contract?Will NFL teams move away from bellcow RB’s?Why has it taken so long to hire women in front offices and when we get a female head coach in male sports? Why can’t DC make movies like Marvel?Did you see House of the Dragon and as psyched for the Dance of the Dragon?John Picks His Balls (where he has to choose between two options)Why do female athletes need to play overseas and has Brittney Griner become a political prisoner?

Topics Discussed:Why do we love fantasy football?Does a new coach fix the Indianapolis Colts?What can MLB teams learn from the Astros?Will Aaron Judge be a Yankee next year?Who is the biggest surprise and disappointment among NFL teams this year?Has Ryan Reynolds single-handedly save soccer in the United States?Why do we love Taylor Swift?What superpower would you choose?Ten Quick Shots to John's BallsIs Justin Fields for real?