The Sports-Casters

On the fourth episode of the sixth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Adrian Dater (Bleacher Report) and Steven Hyden (Celebration Rock). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don look ahead to Super Bowl 50, riff about John Scott and the NHL All-Star game and Calvin Johnson's pending retirement. The book club formally introduces the new first book of 2016 called This is Your Brain on Sports: The Science of Underdogs, the Value of Rivalry, and What We Can Learn from the T-Shirt Cannon by Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers. Finally, the show ends with Don chatting about the untapped market of e-sports and Steve talks about Joe Buck's love of Pearl Jam. -Adrian Dater is making his third appearance (00:23:23) on the podcast. Adrian talks about his recent Bleacher Report piece on Jack Eichel. Dater talks about Jack on and off the ice, tries to understand what drives him, and compares his rookie season to Nate McKinnon's. Dater also talks about the All-Star Game, the Kennedy Compound, and buying a misprinted Kiss album. -Steven Hyden is making his third appearance (01:41:57) on the podcast. Hyden joins us to talk about his new podcast, Celebration Rock. Steve and Steven go back and fourth on discovering new music, the 1992 VMA's, and Guns N Roses. Steve (host) complains about the Smashing Pumpkins and Steven (guest) previews his upcoming book featuring rock rivalries like Oasis vs. Blur.

On the third episode of the sixth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Josh Levin (Slate, Shut Up and Listen) and David Shoemaker (Cheap Heat, ESPN). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don look ahead to Super Bowl 50, riff about Blake Griffin breaking his hand on the face of a Clippers staffer, and look at the NHL's league leaders at the All-Star break. The book club formally introduces the new first book of 2016 called This is Your Brain on Sports: The Science of Underdogs, the Value of Rivalry, and What We Can Learn from the T-Shirt Cannon by Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers. Finally, the show ends with Don earning his spot in the nerd Hall of Fame and Steve bashing Pro-Bowl replaced-replacement-replacements. -Josh Levin is making his first appearance (0:25:56) on the podcast to talk about writing and editing at Slate.com and being the host of the awesome Hang Up and Listen podcast. Steve and Josh geek out on podcast talk covering topics such as being nervous, booking guests, and working on a panel. Josh recalls the Tracy Porter pick six, being in the house to see the Saints win the NFC Championship, and asks Steve how he became a Saints fan. Josh also talks about his relationship with Bryan Curtis, plugs a piece on Slate about Cam Newton, and explains the importance of listening. -David Shoemaker is making his sixth appearance (01:14:29) on the podcast to talk about the business of professional wrestling and his love of the Carolina Panthers. Shoemaker talks about the Royal Rumble, the state of Divas wrestling on the main roster, trying to get over Roman Reigns and when a gimmick becomes a parody. Steve and David debate the hate of Cam Newton, David defends his switch from Cowboys fan to Panthers, and the guys agree Drew Brees is the greatest of all-time.

On the second episode of the sixth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Bryan Curtis (Grantland) and Mike Harrington (The Buffalo News). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NFL playoffs, the large number of underclassman entering the NFL Draft, and the strange saga of John Scott and the NHL All-Star Game. The book club update calls for support of That Metal Show and looks ahead to a Jon Wertheim project. Finally, the show ends with Don asking about when he should bring his daughter to Pearl Jam and Steve comparing Patrick Kane to Neil Peart. -Bryan Curtis is making his fifth appearance (00:32:18) on the podcast to catch up and talk about the end of Grantland. Bryan talks about his relationship with Chris Connelly, Bill Simmons, and explains why he wasn't surprised the day Grantland ended. Bryan also talks about watching the NFL playoffs as a fan, gives his dream location to watch a Cowboys game, and reminisces with Steve about past Super Bowls. I'm positive that for the rest of the time Steve and Bryan talk about something, but it's mostly nothing, in a good "Seinfeld" way. -Mike Harrington is making his third appearance (01:34:33) on the podcast. Harrington is on again to defend himself and his opinions versus those of the Buffalo Sabres lynch mob on twitter. Harrington explains why he is so concerned with the team's place in the standings, why he is disappointed with the Kane/Bogosian trade, and what he wants to see from the team in the last 30+ games. Harrington also talks about writing the Inside the NHL column for The Buffalo News, the catwalk in Calgary, and the cold weather in Manitoba and the magical season of Patrick Kane.

On the season premier of the sixth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome SL Price (Sports Illustrated) and Chris Trapasso (NFL.com, Comeback Sports). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about Alabama winning another National Championship, the NFL Playoffs, and Alexander Ovechkin scoring his 500th NHL goal. The book club has no books so Steve shares an anecdote about NFL Confidential. Finally, the show ends with Don talking about his expectations for the Sabres and Steve waxing poetic about Sean Payton. -SL Price is making his seventh appearance (00:24:08) on the podcast. Price joins us to talk about his piece on Serena Williams for the SI Sportsperson of the Year Award. Mr. Price explains why he thinks Serena was the right choice despite another tennis player having a better season, why the horse would have been a bad choice, and how this piece compares to the Sportsperson piece he wrote about Dwayne Wade. Mr. Price also talks about the National Championship game, finishing his book about Aliquippa football, and Chris Drury. -Chris Trapasso is making his first appearance (01:16:48) on the podcast. Chris talks about being one of the editors of the NFL.com home page, what he does when NFL news breaks, and how fantasy football can impact a story. Chris also talks about working for the new Comeback Sports (http://www.thecomeback.com), the Buffalo Bills decision to extend Doug Whaley, and makes a few predictions for this week's NFL playoff games.

On the season finale of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, Steve Bennett and Don Russ host the first ever clip show. Joe Buck, Linda Cohn, Anthony Cumia, and Molly Knight all are featured in a season five review. Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the HGH speculation surrounding Peyton Manning, Oklahoma and Joe Mixon embarrassing themselves at the College Football Playoff media day, and the Yankees risky trade. The season closes with Don riffing on Christmas morning at the Russ house and Steve singing the praises of the great Drew Brees.

On the fortieth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Jimmy Traina (Fox Sports), and Ryan Aber (The Oklahoman, Newsok.Com). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Adam Lazarus (Don is absent today with a scheduled case of scurvy) discuss the injuries in the NFL, Derrick Henry winning the Heisman, and Pat Kane and the Warriors having their incredible streaks end. The book club features a new book by the Puck Daddy Greg Wyshynski and for the first time a CD. The show ends with the Steve droning on (as he did almost the entire episode) about why he thinks a horse should have been named Sportsman of the Year. -Jimmy Traina is making his third appearance (00:41:38) on the podcast. Traina is back to talk about Howard Stern and his announcement that he is returning to SiriusXM for another 5 years. Traina gives his initial reaction to the announcement, how he sees the future of the show, and if he agrees with the direction of the comedy. Jimmy also talks about the upcoming Mike and the Mad Dog reunion, Bill Simmons, and recording a podcast. Steve and Jimmy talk about the difficulties of booking a podcast as Jimmy takes over the last few minutes of the interview. -Ryan Aber is making his first appearance (01:36:21) on the podcast. Ryan covers the Oklahoma Sooners football and basketball team for the Oklahoman and Newsok.com. Aber talks about the Sooners rise after losing to Texas in October, why the team has improved so much on offense and defense, and explains a potential storm brewing for the Sooners (See: Joe Mixon, video tape).

On the thirty-ninth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Lee Jenkins (Sports Illustrated, SI.Com), and Don Jamieson (That Metal Show, Comic). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the College Football Playoffs, the playoff picture in the NFL, and Pat Kane's record setting point streak. The book club features a new book by the Puck Daddy Greg Wyshynski and for the first time a CD. The show ends with the Steve and Don talking about the retirement of Neil Peart and the death of Scott Weiland. -Lee Jenkins is making his twenty-first appearance (0:20:16) on the podcast to discuss the first 20-ish games of the NBA season. Jenkins explains what makes the undefeated Warriors so good, the continued excellence of the Spurs, and who can challenge the Cavaliers in the eastern conference. Lee also talks about the last several first overall picks, the Knicks striking gold, and the career of Kobe Bryant. -Don Jamieson is making his first appearance (01:02:34) on the podcast. Don talks about his new CD with friend Jim Florentine, "Terrorizing Telemarketers, Volume 6." Don explains why it took six years since the last CD, explains the legalities of publishing the phone calls, and why failed relationships are to thank for the new work. Jamieson also talks about his passion for the Rangers and other New York sports teams, doing comedy at metal shows, and the future of That Metal Show.

On the thirty-eighth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Joe Buck (Fox Sports), and Dan Levy (The Comeback, Awful Announcing). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss Oklahoma securing a spot in the College Football Playoffs, the playoff picture in the NFL, and Pat Kane's record setting point streak. The book club features a new book by the Puck Daddy Greg Wyshynski and for the first time a CD. The show ends with the Steve talking about the future of Howard Stern. -Joe Buck is making his first appearance (00:29:08) on the podcast. Joe joins us to talk about calling the World Series in a three man booth, working with Troy Aikman, and tells a story about a special guest in the booth with him when the Saints won the NFC Championship Game. Joe also talks about his new show on the Audience Network, Undeniable. Joe talks about how the idea for the show came to be, we compare the interview style to the interviews done by Howard Stern, and Joe reveals a few of his favorite interviews from the first season. -Dan Levy is making his fifth appearance (1:03:03) on the podcast. Levy joins us to talk about a new website that he is editing and writing for called, The Comeback (http://www.thecomeback.com). Dan talks about what the site is trying to be, the mechanics behind finding the staff, and what how he thinks it might evolve during the first year. Dan also promotes a huge comic book project involving his superhero son, IronMax and explains why he can't wait to change his avatar on twitter.

On the thirty-seventh episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Jim Florentine (That Metal Show, Comedy Metal Midgets), and Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy, Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss Ronda Rousey being knocked out, the end of Jeff Gordon's career, and check in on the top teams in sports. The book club features a new book by the Puck Daddy Greg Wyshynski and for the first time a CD. The show ends with the Steve talking about a live edition of That Metal Show. -Jim Florentine is making his third appearance (00:17:35) on the podcast. Jim talks about his new CD with friend Don Jamieson, "Terrorizing Telemarketers, Volume 6." Jim explains why it took six years since the last CD, explains the legalities of publishing the phone calls, and how the business of selling CDs has changes since the last volume. Florentine also talks about what has gone wrong with the Dolphins, the development of Ryan Tannehill, and being annoyed with the NFL. Before checking out, Jim talks about developing comedy and the process of standup. -Greg Wyshynski is making his twelfth appearance (00:56:28) on the podcast. Puck Daddy joins us to promote his new book, "Take Your Eye off the Puck: How to Watch Hockey By Knowing Where to Look." Greg talks about why he wrote the book, how he made it appeal to hard core hockey fans, and why it works so well on the toilet. Greg also talks about including advanced stats, the NHL being mad at him, and hockey sticks. Greg gives quick thoughts on Jack Eichel, the new All-Star Game format, and saying goodbye to the fantasy draft.

On the thirty-sixth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Adam Lazarus (Author), and Ed Sherman (Sherman Report, Chicago Tribune). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss injuries to Andrew Luck and Ben Roethlisberger, the NCAA investigating Leonard Fournette, and the NHL Hall of Fame class of 2015. The book club is back with this year's edition of The Best American Sports Writing Series and a new book by the Puck Daddy Grey Wyshynski. The show ends with the Steve talking about the injury to Seth Rollins. -Adam Lazarus has appeared as a guest and a host (00:32:03) on the podcast. Aaron stops by today to promote his new book, "Hail to the Redskins: Gibbs, the Disel, the Hogs, and the Glory Days of D.C.'s Football Dynasty." Adam and Steve also talk about the first half of the NFL season. Adam explains why he thinks the Patriots are the best, what he thinks when he watches Peyton Manning, and why he thinks the Giants are the NFL's sleeping beast. Lazarus also picks a midseason MVP, insults Cam Newton (that might have been me), and picks the teams he thinks will be in Super Bowl 50. -Ed Sherman is making his seventh appearance (01:09:57) on the podcast. Sherman joins us to talk about Chicago's love affair with the Cubs, their reaction to the Pat Kane rape accusations, and the end of Grantland. Ed also talks about his book, "Babe Ruth's Called Shot: The Myth and Mystery of Baseball's Greatest Home Run." The book has recently been released on paperback and Ed shares with us the thrill of promoting the book at the Hall of Fame and dining out with the Babe's daughter.

On the thirty-fifth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Tim Graham (The Buffalo News), and Matt Yoder (Awful Announcing). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series, the injury to Connor McDavid, and the fall of Colin Kaepernick. The book club is back with this year's edition of The Best American Sports Writing Series and a new book by a podcast favorite. The show ends with the guys saying goodbye to Grantland. -Tim Graham is making his fifth appearance (00:38:47) on the podcast to discuss the fallout of the Patrick Kane case and his inclusion in this year's Best American Sports Writing anthology. Tim talks about covering the Kane case, dealing with trolls on twitter, and explains why he thinks it was handled fairly by the authorities. Tim also talks about the impact of his story on Darryl Talley, explains how it ended up being submitted for consideration by BASW, and explains why he was so proud to have the only newspaper story included in the anthology. -Matt Yoder is making his second appearance (01:23:59) on the podcast. Yoder (the managing editor of Awful Announcing) joins us to talks about the demise of Grantland, why it happened, and what it means for micro sites. Matt also talks about the future of Bill Simmons, tells us what stories bring clicks to the site, and gives some details on a new website lead by Dan Levy.

On the thirty-fourth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Jeff Passan (Yahoo! Sports), and Eddie Trunk (That Metal Show, SiriusXM). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the start of the World Series, the end of the Ryan Mallet era in Houston, and wonder if Jonathan Quick is a great goaltender. The book club is back with this year's edition of The Best American Sports Writing Series and a new book by a podcast favorite The show ends with one last thing on pass interference in the NFL and the television show, Fargo. -Jeff Passan is making his eleventh appearance (0:25:12) on the podcast. Jeff is literally headed from Kaufmann Stadium to the airport after game 2 of the World Series to sleep for a few hours and head to New York City. For some reason we start off with some chatter about Jackson Dell'Abate before getting into the first two games of the World Series. Jeff and Steve talk about the Royals stronghold on the series, second guess the Mets, and compare the Mets to past World Series teams with a 2-0 deficit. Jeff also talks about the maturity of the Royals, what it will take for the Mets to comeback, and if he cares about the outcome of the series. -Eddie Trunk is making his first appearance (0:57:03) on the podcast. Eddie joins us to promote an upcoming appearance of That Metal Show in Buffalo and Syracuse, NY. Eddie talks about the future of That Metal Show, what the show is like in a live setting, and what it's like to work for VH1 Classic. Eddie also talks about the future of Rush, interviewing Alex Lifeson, and Stump the Trunk.-Jeff Passan is making his eleventh appearance (0:25:12) on the podcast. Jeff is literally headed from Kaufmann Stadium to the airport after game 2 of the World Series to sleep for a few hours and head to New York City. For some reason we start off with some chatter about Jackson Dell'Abate before getting into the first two games of the World Series. Jeff and Steve talk about the Royals stronghold on the series, second guess the Mets, and compare the Mets to past World Series teams with a 2-0 deficit. Jeff also talks about the maturity of the Royals, what it will take for the Mets to comeback, and if he cares about the outcome of the series. -Eddie Trunk is making his first appearance (0:57:03) on the podcast. Eddie joins us to promote an upcoming appearance of That Metal Show in Buffalo and Syracuse, NY. Eddie talks about the future of That Metal Show, what the show is like in a live setting, and what it's like to work for VH1 Classic. Eddie also talks about the future of Rush, interviewing Alex Lifeson, and Stump the Trunk.

On the thirty-third episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, Steve is forced to host alone as Don battles yet another bout of scurvy. Steve welcomes guests Katie Baker (Grantland), and Jeff Pearlman (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve sort of abandons 3Things out of fear of bombing and instead briefly explains why he has decided to avoid a planned bit with the first lady. The book club still features this year's edition of The Best American Sports Writing Series and Steve updates his attempts at luring Wright Thompson to the show for an interview. The show ends with Steve ignoring his intuition and doing the bit he knew would bomb with the first lady. The bit bombs. -Katie Baker is making her seventh appearance (0:06:01) on the podcast to talk about her week long stay in the most beautiful city in the world, Buffalo, NY. Katie talks about the development in the city thanks to that Pegula money, going to a Bills game, and Bufalo's love affair with Jack Eichel. Katie talks about 3 on 3 overtime, dodges making a Stanley Cup pick, and makes fun of Columbus for being so Columbus to start the season. -Jeff Pearlman is making his sixth appearance (00:39:12) on the podcast. Pearlman joins us to talk about his book Showtime (recently released on paperback), refuses to discuss his next book, but does announce that the book after that will be about the USFL. Jeff talks about playing fantasy football with his son, if he thinks Donald Trump could be POTUS, and what would have happened if John F. Kennedy lived. Jeff also names his 5 favorite wrestlers, explains why he hates Jason Whitlock, and tries to figure out if his books will matter after he is gone. Will he be Pearl Jam or will he be Blind Melon?

On the thirty-second episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Adrian Dater (Bleacher Report), and Kenny Albert (Fox Sports, New York Rangers). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the start of the NHL season, the baseball playoffs, and a slew of college football news. The book club is back with this year's edition of The Best American Sports Writing Series and a mid week podcast update. The show ends with Steve and Don making their predictions for the 2015-2016 NHL season. -Adrian Dater is making his second appearance (00:16:15) on the podcast. Adrian talks about transitioning from a team beat writer for a local newspaper to a national writer for Bleacher Report. Dater recalls his favorite moments covering the Avalanche for twenty years, dishes on the stories he is following at the start of the new NHL season, and makes a Stanley Cup prediction. -Kenny Albert is making his fourteenth appearance (01:06:45) on the podcast. Kenny joins us to give a first hand description of the wild events during game five of the ALDS between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers. Albert explains the top of the seventh inning, understanding the rule, and communicating with Major League Baseball. He also talks about the atmosphere inside the Skydome, working with Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci, and of course the bat flip to end all bat flips.

On the thirty-first episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Mike Tirico (ESPN, Monday Night Football), and Jonah Keri (Grantland, Baseball Tonight). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the Dolphins firing their coach, the start of the MLB baseball playoffs, and the daily fantasy sports scandal. The book club is back with this year's edition of The Best American Sports Writing Series, and the show ends with Steve's thoughts on Jimmy Graham. -Mike Tirico is making his fourth appearance (0:32:50) on the podcast. Mike talks about another crazy ending to a Monday Night Football game in Seattle, how the broken rule was discovered behind the scenes and the mechanics of bringing it to the air. Mike also talks about calling the U.S. Open, Serena Williams season, and the ESPN micro site, The Undefeated. -Jonah Keri is making his tenth appearance (01:11:58) on the podcast. Jonah talks the start of the Major League Baseball playoffs. Jonah explains why the playoffs are a crapshoot, why strong starting pitching isn't necessarily an advantage, and why the Royals were able to play above projection this season. Jonah also talks about how he would fix the playoffs.

On the thirtieth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Richard Deitsch (Sports Illustrated, SI.com), and SL Price (Sports Illustrated, SI.com). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss injuries to Drew Brees and Tony Romo and losses by the Saints and the Bills. Also, they look at the races for a spot in the MLB playoffs and put over Jaromir Jagr for thwarting an extortion attempt. Five on Fantasy returns and show closes with Steve and Don discussing their favorite stand up comedians. -Richard Deitsch is making his thirteenth appearance (00:28:13) on the podcast. Deitsch joins us to talk about the return of Bill Simmons. Who does Deitsch expect Simmons to have on his first podcast? What does Deitsch know about his deal with HBO? Also, Deitsch talks about the success of the MMQB and other spin off websites, the merits of several NFL broadcasting teams, and the success of his new podcast. -SL Price is making his sixth appearance (01:32:29) on the podcast. Price joins us to talk about his well received SI piece on Brian Cashman and his most recent work on Roger Goodell. Price talks about receiving advice from colleagues like Tom Verducci before writing his features and how the atmosphere at Sports Illustrated makes it possible. Price also talks about Cashman and Goodell taking the brunt of bad PR for their bosses, Cashman being overrated, and Goodell not being as power hungry as the public perceives.

On the twenty-ninth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Ty Schalter (Bleacher Report), and Dan Wolken (USA Today). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the first week of the NFL season, Oklahoma's big win over Tennessee, and the U.S. Open. The book club update focuses on Adam Lazarus' book about the Washington Redskins. The show closes with Steve and Don giving their predictions for the NFL season. -Ty Schalter is making his second appearance (0:24:06) on the podcast to talk about the first week of the NFL season. Ty explains why he is excited about Marcus Mariota, down on the Bills, and pumped about the future of Ameer Abdullah. Ty also explains why he is interested in Chip Kelly and the Eagles and skeptical that Sam Bradford will hold up. Steve and Ty also talk about the Saints and Lions playoff game from the 2011 season and Ty explains why the game may have been fixed by the NFL. -Dan Wolken is making his eighth appearance (0:52:20) on the podcast to talk about the college football season. Wolken looks ahead to the best weekends for non-conference play, makes predictions for the playoffs, and explains why it's too soon to make Heisman selections.

On the twenty-eighth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome David Shoemaker (Grantland), and David de Sola (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the end of the Fred Jackson era in Buffalo and the news that Tyrod Taylor will start for the Bills at QB. Also, Steve and Don talk about the Pat Kane trade rumors and the start of the U.S. Open. The book club updates the Tom Brady news and talks more about Adam Lazarus' book about the Washington Redskins. The show closes with Steve ranting about his disgust for the video online that paints Danielson and the bad guy in The Karate Kid. -David Shoemaker is making his fifth appearance (0:23:38) on the podcast to talk about the business of professional wrestling. Shoemaker talks about SummerSlam, John Cena, and the screwy finishes at the end of the show. David also talks about the Jimmy Snuka case, Hulk Hogan's apology, and explains why a wrestler's ability to "always be working" blurs the lines of public perception. The Masked Man also talks about his appearance on the Richard Deitsch podcast, going to college at Baylor, and expresses his frustrations about wrestling trivia. -David de Sola is making his first appearance (1:08:54) on the podcast to talk about his book, "Alice in Chains: The Untold Story." David talks about why he wrote the book, why the surviving members of the band wouldn't talk to him for it, and how he balanced drugs and music. de Sola also talks about Layne Staley's death, Mike McCready, and the closeness of the Seattle bands. David also talks about Mike Starr's last show in Alice in Chains, Layne's appearance at the band's unplugged concert, and the band without Layne.

On the twenty-seventh episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Aaron Schatz (Football Outsiders), and Adam Lazarus (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the Jordy Nelson injury, Chris Carter's ridiculous advice, and Curt Schilling's dumb tweet. The book club talks more about the fantastic Alice in Chains book by David De Sola, and the show ends with OLT on a PC Howard Stern. -Aaron Schatz is making his fourth appearance (00:27:39) on the podcast. Aaron talks about the 2015 Football Outsiders Almanac and helps to preview the NFL season through the eyes of Football outsiders. Aaron explains why the Patriots win total doesn't change much if the Brady suspension is upheld or overturned, when the Rams are the sixth most likely team to win the Super Bowl, and how his website can help fantasy football players. -Adam Lazarus has appeared as a guest and a host (01:10:31) on the podcast. Aaron stops by today to promote his new book, "Hail to the Redskins: Gibbs, the Disel, the Hogs, and the Glory Days of D.C.'s Football Dynasty." Adam explains why he decided to write about the Redskins, why John Riggins didn't sit down with him, and why the Joe Theismann injury represented a fork in the road for the Gibbs' Redskins.

On the twenty-sixth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Lana Berry (The Lana Berry Podcast), and Bryan Curtis (Grantland). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the injuries to Kelvin Benjamin and LeSean McCoy, Jason Day's dominance at the PGA Championship, and the race for the A.L. East title between the Blue Jays and the Yankees. The book club talks more about the fantastic Alice in Chains book by David De Sola, and the show ends with Steve and Don discussing SummerSlam. -Lana Berry is making her first appearance (00:22:40) on the podcast to talk about the Lana Berry Podcast featuring Lana Berry. Lana talks about why she started the show, how she got @lana on twitter, and how she build her impressive follower count. Lana also talks about how her looks have been a factor in her career, being a woman in the sports media, and makes some predictions for the rest of the baseball season. -Bryan Curtis is making his fourth appearance (01:01:35) on the podcast to catch up and talk about his latest on Grantland about Jordan Spieth. Bryan also talks about the strange distribution of Cowboys fans across the country, what he is looking to write about in the fall, and Vince McMahon trying to fill Cowboys Stadium for Wrestlemania.

On the twenty-fifth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Chris Burke (Sports Illustrated), and Molly Knight (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss Geno Smith having his jaw broken, the ugly Pat Kane news, and the red hot Toronto Blue Jays. The book club announces a new book about Alice in Chains, and the show ends with Steve and Don discussing NFL teams that cheat (all of them). -Chris Burke is making his twelfth appearance (0:32:05) on the podcast. Burke talks about the start of the NFL pre-season, the quarterback situations in Buffalo and Cleveland, and looks at the chances that a few unemployed running backs find work. Also, Chris talks about the Ameer Abdullah hype, the development of rookie wide receivers, and the start of Hard Knocks. -Molly Knight is making her first appearance (01:10:37) on the podcast. Molly joins us to talk about her book, "The Best Team Money Can Buy." Molly explains how she left New York a few years ago to quickly cover a story on the Dodgers and still hasn't left. Molly explains why she wrote the book, being accepted in the Dodger clubhouse and the player homes, and her feeling when the Dodgers didn't win the 2013 World Series. Molly also talks about Craig Kimbrel still waiting to enter the 2013 NLDS, promoting the book, and living with Lana Berry.

On the twenty-fourth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Bryan Alvarez (Wrestling Observer, Author), and Blake J. Harris (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss Arian Foster's injury and how it effects his fantasy value, baseball buzz in Toronto, and the NHL's deal with MLBAM. The book club update features two new books and the announcement of the book club book of the year. The show ends with Steve and Don discussing the death of Rowdy Roddy Piper. -Bryan Alvarez is making his second appearance (00:23:39) on the podcast to talk the death of Roddy Piper, his impact on the business of professional wrestling, and explains why his role at Wrestlemania I was so critical to its success. Alvarez talks about Roddy's work in Oregon, his promos, and his uncanny ability to work everyone. Alvarez also looks ahead to SummerSlam, talks about John Cena, and The Rock. -Blake J. Harris is making his second appearance (1:02:26) on the podcast to promote his book, "Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation." Blake talks about the success of the book (now available in paperback), the upcoming documentary based on the book, and why having Seth Rogen attached to project has been so huge. Blake also talks about Nintendo possibly making apps, the battle between Microsoft and Sony, and his next project. (This is a replay of Blake's appearance on the show in June)

On the twenty-third episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Joe Posnanski (NBC Sports, Author), and Michael Fabiano (NFL Network, NFL.com). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the big news about Tom Brady's suspension, the Saints releasing Junior Galette, the potentially incredible MLB trade deadline, and ESPN dumping Colin Cowherd. The book club update features two new books and the show ends with Steve and Don discussing the fall of Hulk Hogan. -Joe Posnanski is making his third appearance (00:18:40) on the podcast. Joe talks about writing his book "The Secret of Golf" and compares it to the unique experiences he encountered while writing his previous book, "Paterno". Posnanski also talks about the unique way that he set up the book, the relationship between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus, and how their career paths reminds him of the players of today. Posnanski also talks about his relationship with the city of Kansas City, the MLB trade deadline, and the fall of Tiger Woods. -Michael Fabiano is making his sixth appearance (00:52:19) on the podcast. Fabiano explains who he thinks is the top draft pick this year, looks at the second year wide receivers, and explains why you can never have enough running backs. Fabiano also talks about a couple players he seems to be consistently drafting in his mock drafts, who he seems to be avoiding, and why NFL.com is the best spot to do a mock. Michael also explains why John Cena doesn't suck and talks about all the different programs/podcasts/features for the fantasy player on the NFL Network and NFL.com.

On the twenty-second episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Jeff Passan (Yahoo! Sports), and Jon Pessah (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss Jordan Spieth falling short at the British Open, the NFL turing heel on fantasy football, and the death of a Buffalo sports legend. The book club update features a new book and the show ends with Steve and Don discussing lonelyvirgil.net. -Jeff Passan is making his tenth appearance (0:17:56) on the podcast. Jeff explains why he likes the home run derby, why Barry Bonds will never be in the Hall of Fame, and why he isn't ready to make a new World Series prediction. Passan also talks about the success of the Royals, the dominance of the Cardinals, and what to expect at the trade deadline. -Jon Pessah is making his first appearance (0:48:40) on the podcast. Jon is on the podcast to talk about his book, "The Game: Inside the Secret World of Major League Baseball's Power Brokers." Jon talks about researching for the book, Bud Selig's legacy, and the effect that the steroid era has had on baseball.

On the twenty-first episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Katie Baker (Grantland), Brett Martin (Author, GQ) and Kevin Lieber (VSauce2, YouTube). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the United States winning the World Cup, Florida State dismissing their quarterback for punching a woman in the face, and Don tries to guess what team the Major League Baseball all-stars play for. The book club update still features "Console Wars" and "The Game". The Show ends with Steve and Don discussing God's decision to chat with Russell Wilson. -Katie Baker is making her sixth appearance (0:18:18) on the podcast to give a first hand account of the USWNT victory over Japan in the World Cup Final. Baker talks about the atmosphere in the stadiums and in Canada during the tournament, marching down the street with thousands of USWNT fans into the stadium before the final, and the hysteria in the stands after each of the four goals in the fist half. Katie also talks about Connor McDavid mania in Edmonton. -Brett Martin is making his second appearance (0:41:43) on the podcast to discuss the Mad Man finale, the intense scrutiny that we put on all series finales, and watching the shows he covered in his book, "Difficult Men." Martin also talks about covering food for GQ, his upcoming book about food, and what he learned while writing "Difficult Men" that will help make his next book better. -Kevin Lieber is making his first appearance (01:15:09) on the podcast to discuss his job as the head of the YouTube channel, VSauce2. Kevin talks about being discovered by YouTube, where the ideas for his videos come from, and the pressure (or lack there of) of getting clicks for his videos. Kevin also talks about going to college with Steve, rooting for the San Francisco 49ers, and music he wishes he didn't listen to in high school.

On the twentieth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Lina Cohn (ESPN, SportsCenter) and Mark Simon (ESPN, Stats and Info). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the the NHL Draft and Buffalo's reaction to Jack Eichel, the Women's World Cup, and Brett Favre in a Packers jersey. The book club update still features "Console Wars" and "The Game". The Show ends with Steve and Don debating the pros and cons of the new format for the Home Run Derby. -Mark Simon is making his first appearance (0:37:42) on the podcast to discuss his role at ESPN and his incredible ability to recall the last out of the last 60 World Series. Simon talks about the origin of his viral video, the difference between tweeting to his 28K followers and the 1million followers on the @espnstatsinfo account. Mark also talks about why the Royals have been successful, who will win the A.L. East, and the development of Gerrit Cole. -Linda Cohn is making her first appearance (01:09:18) on the podcast to discuss her time at the NHL Draft, her 23 years as a SportsCenter anchor, and being a woman in the sports media. Linda tells us what makes Jack Eichel special, explains why she thinks it was a mistake for the NHL to leave ESPN, and why she thinks Mila Kunis would be the perfect actress to play her in an ESPN movie. Linda also talks about playing hockey at SUNY Oswego, explains why she is so proud to have hosted more episodes of SportsCenter than anyone, and why she enjoys the USNWT compete in the World Cup.

On the nineteenth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Lee Jenkins (Sports Illustrated) and Greg Wyshynski (Yahoo! Puck Daddy). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the the NHL and NBA drafts, the U.S. Open, and P. Diddy fighting in the UCLA weight room. The book club update still features "Console Wars" and "The Game". The Show ends with Steve complaining about Junior Galette and Don wondering what is the best Sabres jersey to buy. -Lee Jenkins is making his twentieth appearance (0:30:10) on the podcast to discuss the start of the end of the NBA season. Jenkins explains why he thinks it will be tough for the Warriors to repeat, why he doesn't necessarily think the Cavs would have won with Love and Irving, and why he thought LeBron was the finals MVP. Jenkins also talks about Stephen Curry, the game evolving away from big men, and looks ahead to the NBA Draft. -Greg Wyshynski is making his eleventh appearance (01:05:44) on the podcast. Puck Daddy joins us to figure out if the NHL had a good season, explain why the ratings were down in Canada (and why he doesn't talk about it with Marek), and looks ahead to possible expansion. Wysh also talks about fighting with Sabres fans on twitter, fights with more Sabres fans (Steve and Don), and finally admits Sabres nation has been right all along (maybe this happened and maybe it didn't).

On the eighteenth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Ed Sherman (Chicago Tribune, Sherman Report) and Mike Johnson (PwInsider). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the the NHL and NBA Finals before Don plays a game called "Who's in First?". The book club update still features "Console Wars" and "The Game". The Show ends with Steve reviewing the Rush concert. -Ed Sherman is making his sixth appearance (00:23:23) on the podcast. Sherman stops by to chat about the Blackhawks winning their first Stanley Cup in Chicago since 1938. Ed talks about spending time on the ice with the players and their families, the massive rating that the game scored in Chicago, and refuses to return Patrick Kane to Buffalo. Mr. Sherman also talks about Bill Simmons leaving ESPN, Fox Sports preparing for their first U.S. Open, and the odd dismissal of Jason Whitlock from his website The Undefeated. -Mike Johnson is making his second appearance (00:57:19) on the podcast. Johnson joins us to look back on the life of Dusty Rhodes. Johnson talks about his impact on the wrestling business, his creativity inside and outside of the ring, and looks back on some of his best promos and matches. Johnson also makes some time to talk about John Cena, his feud with Kevin Owens, and tries to explain why the smart marks hate him so much.

On the seventeenth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Jon Wertheim (Sports Illustrated) and Blake J. Harris (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don discuss the first Triple Crown in 37 years, the NHL and NBA Finals, and the start of the Women's World Cup. The book club returns with two new books, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Jon Wertheim is making his thirteenth appearance (0:29:36) on the podcast to discuss the French Open. Jon talks about Serena's claim as the greatest of all time, the upset in the Men's final, and the health of tennis in France. Jon also talks about podcasts at Sports Illustrated, his piece on Ronda Rousey, and plans for the magazine this summer. -Blake J. Harris is making his second appearance (1:07:41) on the podcast to promote his book, "Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation." Blake talks about the success of the book (now available in paperback), the upcoming documentary based on the book, and why having Seth Rogen attached to project has been so huge. Blake also talks about Nintendo possibly making apps, the battle between Microsoft and Sony, and his next project.

On the sixteenth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Steve Rushin (Sports Illustrated) and Tas Melas (NBA Network, The Starters). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don look ahead to the NHL and NBA Finals, chat about the FIFA scandal, and discuss what a Triple Crown champion would mean for horse racing. The book club returns with two new books, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Steve Rushin is making his second appearance (00:29:19) on the podcast to talk about poetry that is overtime in the NHL Playoffs. Rushin talks about the grind of a multi-overtime game on the players, coaches, and even broadcasters. Rushin tells us why Al Michaels says he will never call hockey again, praises Doc Emrick, and explains the interesting dynamic of a postgame interview with the OT goal scorer. Rushin also explains why he picks stories to write, looks ahead to the NHL and NBA finals, and reminisces about the article he wrote for Sports Illustrated's 60th anniversary issue. -Tas Melas is making his sixth appearance (01:02:20) on the podcast. Melas stops by to preview the upcoming NBA Finals. Melas explains why he thinks the Golden St. Warriors will be champions, downplays the importance of the series to LeBron James legacy, and tells us about the importance of the Cavs bench. Melas also talks about the problem with the NBA's first round, the excitement of having two relatively new teams in the Finals, and explains why hackaguy hurt the playoffs this year.

On the fifteenth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Trey Wingo (ESPN) and Michael Woods (theSweetScience.com). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don look back at the NFL Draft, chat about the second round of the NHL and NBA playoffs, and of course spend a few seconds on the fight of the century. The book club returns with some uncertainty, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Trey Wingo is making his third appearance (0:30:29) on the podcast. Trey about hosting the NFL Draft in Chicago, explains why the extra space to spread the draft out offered something Manhattan couldn't and says why he thinks the NFL should take the show out west next year. Wingo also explains why he passed on Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, gives his take on fans having to decide between cheering for villains or walking away, and looks ahead to the rest of the NFL offseason. -Michael Woods is making his third appearance (1:10:27) on the podcast. Woods talks about the Floyd Mayweather victory over Manny Pacquiao. Woods talks about the atmosphere in Vegas, the bizarre scenario around the press credentials, and some uncomfortable moments in the post fight press conferences. Woods also explains why Mayweather won, looks at what be next for both fighters, and what is next for boxing.

On the fourteenth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Chris Burke (Sports Illustrated, SI.com) and Jenny Vrentas (theMMQB, Sports Illustrated). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve (solo today) quickly looks at first round of the NHL playoffs and NBA playoffs, and looks ahead to the fight of the century. The show ends with One Last Thing. -Chris Burke is making his eleventh appearance (0:12:17) on the podcast. Burke talks about the upcoming NFL Draft and his work on it for Sports Illustrated. Chris talks about why he thinks the quarterbacks will go first and second, explains why he thinks the Saints will take a WR and a pass rusher in round one, and names Jacksonville as the team that has the most leverage to swing the first round in one direction or another. Burke also talks about guys in the draft with red flags, the depth at receiver an explains that the draft is deep but doesn't have the top end talent that last year's draft did. -Jenny Vrentas is making her third appearance (0:51:32) on the podcast. Jenny joins us to talk about her time in Buffalo working on a Sports Illustrated cover story about Rex Ryan. Jenny explains why she didn't eat her chicken wings, reveals that she was surprised to learn about Rex buying a house in Nashville, and explains why she thinks Rex was a good hire despite his focus on defense. Jenny also talks about spending time with Bills hall of fame player Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. Jenny explains why they were upset when Doug Marrone quit, explains why they are so optimistic about Rex helping the Bills make the playoffs, and even talks about the draft for a few minutes before saying goodbye.

On the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Jeff Passan (Yahoo! Sportsl) and Will Leitch (Sports on Earth). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don look at the first round of the NHL playoffs and NBA playoffs, and cover a few small NFL stories. Steve looks at the just released NFL schedule, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Jeff Passan is making his ninth appearance (0:33:28) on the podcast. Jeff talks the start of the baseball season, the Yankees not having a home grown star, and the value of recent 1.1 draft picks. Passan also talks about writing his book on the pitching arm for his son, wrestling in the mainstream media, and talking to Jane Leavy. -Will Leitch is making his eighth appearance (1:25:34) on the podcast. Will talks about writing for Sports on Earth, writing about politics, and the challenges of doing a podcast. Will also talks about the Mets and Cubs, being annoyed with twitter, and improvements at ESPN.

On the twelfth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Damon Hack (Golf Channel) and Mike Halford (Pro Hockey Talk). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don look at the first round of the NHL playoffs, the start of the NBA playoffs,vand talk about the fall of Aaron Hernandez and the future of Adrian Peterson. The book club takes one last look at Eleventh Heaven by Rob Miech, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Damon Hack is making his ninth appearance (0:33:55) on the podcast. Damon looks back on Jordan Spieth's dominate performance at the Masters. Hack compares Spieth's performance this year to Tiger's domination in 1997. Damon wonders if the Spieth/Mcilroy rivalry can lead golf into the post-Tiger era without a massive drop-off Hack also talks about the future of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and what their performances this weekend might mean for their 2015 seasons. -Mike Halford is making his second appearance (1:06:21) on the podcast. Mike stops by to preview the NHL Playoffs. Mike and Steve talk about the value of goaltenders, the new playoff format, and quality of the first round matchups. Halford also talks about the improvement of Tyler Myers, college hockey vs. major junior, and he makes a Stanley Cup Final prediction.

On the eleventh episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Andrew Bucholtz (Yahoo!, Awful Announcing) and Rob Miech (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don look at Duke's fifth national championship, look ahead to the NHL playoffs, and talk about a few odds and ends from the NFL. The book club takes a look at Eleventh Heaven by Rob Miech, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Andrew Bucholtz is making his first appearance (00:29:51) on the podcast. Bucholtz joins us to talk about breaking into sports journalism, moving to California, and playing board games. Bucholtz also talks about women in sports media, Katie Nolan, and the recent scandal in Chicago. -Rob Miech is making his third appearance (01:12:26) on the podcast. Miech joins us to talk about his book, Eleventh Heaven. Rob explains that he almost wrote this book back in 1995 and tells us why he didn't. He also talks about his relationship with Ed O'Bannon, traveling all over the world to research the book, and being blown off by the Golden State Warriors GM.

On the tenth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Luke Winn (Sports Illustrated, SI.Com) and David Shoemaker (Grantland). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don look ahead to the Final Four, the Frozen Four, and look back at Wrestlemania XXXI. The book club takes a look at Eleventh Heaven by Rob Miech, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Luke Winn is making his eighth appearance (00:32:17) on the podcast. Winn joins the podcast to look back on the first two weeks of the NCAA Tournament and to look ahead to the Final Four. Luke talks about covering the classic game between Notre Dame and Kentucky, speculates on the remaining team with the best chance to beat Kentucky, and explains why anything short of a National Championship would be a total bust. Winn also talks about Duke, the value of fewer early round upsets, and the players to keep an eye on this weekend. -David Shoemaker is making his fourth appearance (0:52:41) on the podcast to talk about the business of professional wrestling. Shoemaker talks about his weekend in San Jose for WrestleMania XXXI, covering wrestling in the mainstream, and even looks ahead to WrestleMania XXXII in Texas. Shoemaker also talks about a renewed importance for the Intercontinental Championship, the future of John Cena, and try to figure out just how great WrestleMania XXXI actually was.

On the ninth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Stewart Mandel (Fox Sports), Ryan Lambert (Puck Daddy, College Hockey News) and Mike Johnson (Pro Wrestling Insider). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, the overhaul of the Saints and Bills, and look ahead to Wrestlemania XXXI. The book club takes a first look at Eleventh Heaven by Rob Miech, and Steve has a quick chat with Yale hockey players Anthony Day and Mike Doherty. The show ends with One Last Thing. -Stewart Mandel is making his seventh appearance (00:25:46) on the podcast. Stewart joins us to talk about the first weekend of the NCAA basketball tournament and to look ahead to the rest of the tournament. Mandel talks about a wild first day and why he thinks so many favorites won the rest of the weekend. Mandel speculates about who could give Kentucky the best game, talks about the players he is most excited to see on the grand stage, and gives his predictions for the final four and the national champion. -Ryan Lambert is making his first appearance (00:53:26) on the podcast. Lambert covers college hockey for the Puck Daddy blog on Yahoo Sports and offers his opinion on the field of sixteen chosen for the NCAA tournament. Lambert explains why he thinks the pairwise is an acceptable way to choose the field, discusses the committees decision to move Providence to the East Regional, and talks about the players not named Jack Eichel that he is excited to watch this weekend. Lambert says that the NCAA should drop automatic tournament bids, ranks the conferences from best to worst, and explains why the thinks seven or eight teams could win the national championship this year. -Mike Johnson is making his first appearance (01:32:52) on the podcast. Johnson squeezes in The Sports-Casters just before he steps onto a plain headed to California for Wrestlemania. Johnson talks about main stream sports writers covering wrestling, the challenges of his job Wrestlemania week, and being one of the first people to have wrestling podcast. Johnson talks about the possibilities for the main event, what the WWE will do after the show, and predicts who will win the big matches on Sunday.

On the eighth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy, Yahoo! Sports) and Jonah Keri (Grantland). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NHL trade deadline, the start of NFL free agency (recorded before the Bills trade for LeSean McCoy), and discuss what might be next for Ronda Rousey. The book club takes one last look at the Red Army documentary, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Greg Wyshynski is making his tenth appearance (0:38:27) on the podcast. Puck Daddy joins us to recap the NHL trade deadline. Greg tries to explain the outrage over the Sabres moves, explains the difference between their deadline and the Coyotes, and goes over other winners and losers. Wyshynski also talks about who he thinks should with the Hart Trophy, handicaps the race for the last few playoff spots, and brags about Maryland basketball. -Jonah Keri is making his ninth appearance (01:52:26) on the podcast. Jonah talks about living a dream and writing a book about the Montreal Expos. Keri talks about what is different about the recently released paperback version of the book, explains why interviewing Felipe Alou was the highlight of researching the book, and speculates about what book he might like to write in the future. Keri also talks about the start of the baseball season. Keri explains why he think the National League might be better than the American League, talks about the strength of the NL Central, and is skeptical about the Kansas City Royals

On the seventh episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Anthony Cumia (The Anthony Cumia Show) and Gabe Polsky (Director). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about injuries to Pat Kane and Derrick Rose, the latest in the Adrian Peterson saga, and Josh Hamilton's relapse. The book club changes course and focuses on a sports documentary, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Anthony Cumia is making his first appearance (00:28:19) on the podcast. Cumia talks about starting his own program, why he doesn't like to call it a podcast, and explains the difficulties of leaving a team to be a solo act. Anthony also talks about battling with Howard Stern, moving his show to New York City, and almost getting fired after a beach party in Angola, NY. -Gabe Polsky is making his first appearance (01:15:54) on the podcast. Polsky explains why he decided to make a documentary about the Soviet National hockey team, talks about using the film as a character in the film, and describes his reaction when he learned that ESPN was making a documentary about similar subject.

On the sixth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Chris Ballard (Sports Illustrated), Kenny Alebert (Fox Sports, New York Rangers), and Pete Weber (PBP Nashville Predators). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the Sabres blockbuster trade with the Winnipeg Jets, the Yankees decision to retire three more numbers, and the SNL 40 special. The book club changes course and focuses on a sports documentary, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Chris Ballard is making his fourth appearance (0:48:14) on the podcast. Chris joins us to talk about his reporting on the Golden State Warriors. Ballard talks about the job that Steve Kerr has done as head coach, his interest in the team beyond Stephen Curry, and the teams that could give the Warriors the most trouble in the playoffs. -Kenny Albert is making his thirteenth appearance (01:09:59) on the podcast. Kenny talks about the New York Rangers. Albert is the radio play by play man for the team and also calls NHL games on the NBCSN. Albert compares this year's Rangers to last year's squad, explains the development of Chris Kreider, and the maturity of Rick Nash. Albert also explains why he think the Rangers and Islanders rivalry could intensify when the Islanders move to Brooklyn. -Pete Weber is making his third appearance (01:25:39) on the podcast. Pete joins us to talk about the Nashville Predators. Pete is the television PBP man for the team and enlightens us on the maturation of Seth Jones, the emergence of Filip Forsberg, and the dominance of Shea Weber. Mr. Weber also explains why the Anaheim Ducks could be a tough matchup for the Predators, looks back at his time in Buffalo, and the story of Anders Lee.

On the fifth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Jimmy Traina (Fox Sports) and Jeff Pearlman (Author). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about life after football the mid point of the basketball season, and the debacle that was the GRAMMYs. The book club changes course and focuses on a sports documentary, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Jimmy Traina is making his second appearance (00:29:44) on the podcast. Traina is finally back to set the record for the longest gap between his first and second appearance on the podcast. Traina talks about Howard Stern, the future of the Howard Stern Show, and explains why he thinks Howard is the GOAT. Traina also talks about his move to Fox Sports, being careful on twitter, and the difficulty of booking a podcast. -Jeff Pearlman is making his fifth appearance (01:28:50) on the podcast. Pearlman joins us to talk about his book Showtime (recently released on paperback), his negative experience when his book "Sweetness" was released, and the nightmare of publishing a book about a topic at the same time as another author. Pearlman also talks about Nirvana, tracking book sales, and being open and personal on his blog.

On the fourth episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Bryan Curtis (Grantland) and Sean McIndoe (Down Goes Brown, Grantland). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the Super Bowl, the host of problems that several NFL players are already having in the offseason, and Bill Raftery and Grant Hill getting a promotion. The book club changes course and focuses on a sports documentary, and the show ends with One Last Thing. -Bryan Curtis is making his third appearance (00:35:23) on the podcast to to talk about his time in Arizona covering the Super Bowl for Grantland. Curtis talks about the bizarre Marshawn Lynch interactions with the media, the reaction to the final seconds of the game in the press box, and explains the mood in the Seahawks locker room after the game. Curtis also talks about his role at Grantland as a sports generalist, explains why he sometimes misses being on a specific beat, and why he thinks he has the best job in sports writing he will ever have. -Sean McIndoe is making his third appearance (01:14:26) on the podcast. Sean talks about the National perception of the Sabres, explains what he thinks personally about their tanking, and why the pressure will be even greater on their GM Tim Murray the second after he drafts Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel. McIndoe also talks about the health of hockey, the falling ratings of the Winter Classic and the All-Star Game in the United Stated and Canada, and the healthy environment that Grantland creates for hockey writers.

On the third episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters, Don is still out handling other business. Steve goes at it alone for the second time in podcast history. Steve welcomes Katie Baker (Grantland) and R.D. Reynolds (WrestleCrap, Author), and Bryan Alvarez (Wrestling Observer, Author) to the podcast. Steve starts the show by recapping the NFL conference championship games, giving a few thoughts on the first half of the NHL season, and explains why the UFC reminds his a little of the WWE. The book club update closes out a batch of books and looks ahead to what might be next. Finally, the show ends with a recap of the Pick4 season and One Last Thing. Katie Baker is making her fifth appearance (00:19:44) on the podcast. Baker joins us to talk about traveling to Green Bay for a Packers playoff game at Lambeau, the mood of the press box after the Dez Bryant catch, and how her experience there changed her perspective on the Packers game against the Seahawks. Katie also talks about getting married, gives her opinion on the ethics of tanking and teasing Mark Messier. R.D. Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez are both making their first appearance (01:41:07) on the podcast to talk about their book, "The Death of WCW". The interviews were recorded separately and were done a week apart. The are presented on top of each other and the interview was structured to be one long interview. The guys talk about re-issuing a book after ten years, the state of the WWE, and Bryan even gives a Royal Rumble prediction.

On the second episode of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome SL Price (Sports Illustrated), Ken Reid (Sportsnet) and John Hayden (USNTDP, Yale Hockey). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NFL playoffs, the college football playoffs, and the Sabres retiring Dominik Hasek's number. The book club update starts to focus on "The Death of WCW," "Hockey Stories," and the new Al Michaels' book. Finally, the show ends with Pick4. -SL Price is making his fifth appearance (0:42:36) on the podcast. Price joins us to talk about his well received SI piece on John Elway. He jokes about Steve's "obsession" with twitter, talks about how authoring his Elway piece changed his viewing experience of last weekend's Broncos game, and tries to put Peyton Manning's legacy into historical perspective. -Ken Reid is making his first appearance (01:16:12) on the podcast. Ken joins us to promote his book, "Hockey Card Stories". Reid talks about picking out the hockey cards, the awesome cover, and if he anticipates making Hockey Card Stories a franchise of books. Ken also talks about the World Junior Championship in Canada, Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, and how Sportsnet is different since acquiring the rights to NHL Hockey games in Canada. -John Hayden is making his first appearance (01:38:53) on the podcast. Hayden joins us to share his evolution as a mite hockey player to an assistant captain on the United States U-20 team at the World Junior Championships. Hayden talks about winning a couple of state championships, playing for the USNTDP and deciding to play college hockey at Yale. Hayden also talks about his future as a Chicago Blackhawk, getting chirped about coconut water, and squirms when trying to explains why he is the most eligible bachelor on the Yale campus (now that Dayzer has fallen).

On the season premier of the fifth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Tom Verducci (Sports Illustrated) and Dan Wolken (USA Today). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NFL playoffs, the college football playoffs, and Canada finally winning gold at the World Junior Championship. The book club update starts to focus on "The Death of WCW," "Hockey Stories," and the new Al Michaels' book. Finally, the show ends with Pick4. -Tom Verducci is making his third appearance (0:44:25) on the podcast. Verducci joins us to talk about calling his first World Series for Fox, working in a three man booth, and replacing Tim McCarver. Verducci also explains why he chose Madison Bumgarner to be the SI Sportsman of the Year, puts Bumgarner's World Series accomplishments into historical context, and examines the future of Sports Illustrated. -Dan Wolken is making his seventh appearance (1:09:33) on the podcast. Wolken joins look back at the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl, look ahead to the National Championship Game, and even spends a few minutes breaking down the other bowl games. Wolken also talks about Florida St.'s future, Ohio St.'s depth at quarterback, and makes his prediction for the championship game.

On the thirty-fourth episode of the fourth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Luke Winn (Sports Illustrated) and Corey Masisak (NHL.Com). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NFL, the college football playoff, and the Heisman Trophy finalists. The book club update continues to focus on "The Death of WCW," "Hockey Stories," and the new Al Michaels' book. Finally, the show ends with Pick4. Steve is red hot so pay special attention to his picks. -Luke Winn is making his seventh appearance (00:28:01) on the podcast. Winn joins the podcast to talk about the college basketball season. Luke explains the impact of the one-and-done freshman this season, explains why he wrote about Wisconsin in the SI preview issue, and picks a few mid-majors that could make an impact come tournament time. Luke also talks about the evolution of his power rankings column, Oklahoma's improved defense, and St. Bonaventure's fancy uniform. -Corey Masisak is making his first appearance (01:00:31) on the podcast. Corey explains how he became the man at NHL.Com to write the power rankings column and how Luke Winn's column on SI's website was an influence. Corey also talks about writing for a league website and the limitations and privileges it provides. Masisak also talks about covering the World Jr's, teams tanking for McDavid, and the first half of the NHL season.

On the thirty-third episode of the fourth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Stewart Mandel (Fox Sports) and Steve Hyden (Grantland). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NFL, the MLS Final featuring Buffalo native Bobby Shuttleworth, and the inappropriate behavior of sports blogger. The book club update starts to focus on "The Death of WCW," "Hockey Stories," and the new Al Michaels' book. Finally, the show ends with Pick4. -Stewart Mandel is making his seventh appearance (01:00:12) on the podcast. Stewart joins us to talk about the last weekend of the college football season and how it will effect the first ever college football playoff. Stewart explains what will happen if Alabama loses, why the committee hasn't been impressed with Florida State, and breaks down the arguments from TCU and Baylor. Stewart also handicaps the Heisman race, wonders if any programs other then UAB are in trouble, and sets up the Fox Sports coverage the rest of the season. -Steve Hyden is making his second appearance (01:39:56) on the podcast. Hyden joins us to talk about his experience at a legendary Pearl Jam concert, explains his championship belt column, and looks back at the year in music. Hayden also talks about Sonic Highways, what is left of rock n roll, and tries to explain why music awards shows give the awards to junk (my words).

On the thirty-second episode of the fourth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Mike Harrington (The Buffalo News) and Matt Crossman (SB Longform, Bleacher Report, Rolling Stone). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NFL, the start of the Major League Baseball hot stove, and Connor McDavid's injury. The book club update starts to focus on "The Death of WCW," "Hockey Stories," and the new Al Michaels' book. Finally, the show ends with Pick4. -Mike Harrington is making his second appearance (00:30:48) on the podcast. Harrington talks about the divide between himself as someone covering the Buffalo Sabres and the fans cheering for the team to finish dead last. Mike explains his reservations about the current group of Sabres prospects, speculates if fans would be patient enough to let Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel develop enough to lead the Sabres to the playoffs, and wonders if Terry Murray is the right general manager to accomplish the rebuild. Before he goes, Mike also admits that the ECAC is one of college hockey's elite conferences (sort of). -Matt Crossman is making his fifth appearance (1:10:33) on the podcast. Matt joins us to talk about the exciting end of the NASCAR season. Matt gives the pros and cons of the new elimination style Chase for the Cup, explains why Miami is the best spot for the final race, and speculates on the narrative had Ryan Newman wrecked Kevin Harvick to win the championship. Matt also talks about Jeff Gordon's legacy, writing for Rolling Stone magazine, and what he would say to Neil Peart.

On the thirty-first episode of the fourth season of The Sports-Casters hosts Steve Bennett and Don Russ welcome Richard Deitsch (Sports Illustrated), Chris Burke (Si.Com) and David A. Dorsey (Fort Myers News-Press). Starting the show with 3Things, Steve and Don talk about the NFL, Steve's trip to Monday Night Raw, and the start of another Yale Hockey Season. The book club update closes out Fourth Down in Dunbar and looks ahead to two new books. Finally, the show ends with Pick4. -Richard Deitsch is making his twelfth appearance (00:31:24) on the podcast. Deitsch talks Major League Baseball playoffs, Erin Andrews, and the first year of Fox Sports 1. Steve and Richard talk about the WWE Network, the Artie Lange controversy on twitter, and who Richard is currently sparing with. -Chris Burke is making his tenth appearance (1:04:25) on the podcast. Burke talks about the incredible rookie wide receivers, tries to figure out the Saints, and explains why the AFC might come down to another Brady vs. Manning showdown. Burke also updates his work at SI, talks about podcasting, and explains why Aaron Rodgers could decide the NFC. -David A. Dorsey is making his first appearance (1:32:59) on the podcast. Dorsey joins us to talk about his book, "Fourth Down in Dunbar." Dorsey explains why the book is about more than football, explains the dangerous life in Dunbar, and explains the politics of high school football in the area. David also talks about the challenges of finding an audience for his book, interviewing Deion Sanders, and explains why he thinks Sammy Watkins is going to win the hearts of Buffalo sports fans.

On the thirtieth episode of the fourth season of The Sports-Casters, Don is still out so Steve goes at it alone for the first time in podcast history. Steve welcomes Christopher McDougall (Author) to the podcast. Steve starts the show by recapping the World Series, giving a few thoughts on the New Orleans Saints, and by wishing Cleveland and LeBron James well as they start the NBA season. The book club update features Fourth Down in Dunbar and several other books and looks ahead and what is coming. Finally, the show ends with One Last Thing. -Christopher McDougall is making his first appearance (0:16:09) on the podcast. McDougall joins us to talk about editing The Best American Sports Writing Anthologies 2014 edition. McDougall explains how he was picked to the guest editor of the book, picking the articles, and the reaction from the writers who had their pieces selected. McDougall also talks about the success of his book "Born to Run." Before ending, Steve and Chris discuss Chris' next project, the pressure of his next book, and what he hopes his anthology will be remembered for.