Tradition's Finest Episode 75 - "The Lean Cuisine & Mean Joe Greene Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 75 - “The Lean Cuisine & Mean Joe Greene Episode” includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA Men's College Basketball - "The Iron Bowl" rivalry between in-state rivals Alabama & Auburn has long blurred lines between families, friends & peers - but the month of November has come & gone, so why on planet Earth are we discussing a football rivalry in early February?!?. . .The basketball version of the Alabama-Auburn rivalry has heated up after both programs have risen to national prominence. . .Bruce Pearl's Tigers & Nate Oats' Crimson Tide have both recently made trips to the Final Four in the past five years, including Alabama's first trip in 2024. . .Auburn & Alabama will take the biggest step in their basketball rivalry on Saturday when they achieve a first in the history of the SEC Conference - the Tigers & the Crimson Tide will square off at Coleman Coliseum at 4PM ET in what will be the first matchup between an AP Poll No. 1 and the AP Poll No. 2 team in league (or conference) history. . .This will be the first of two matchups throughout the 2024-25 NCAA Men's College Basketball regular season (with the next matchup scheduled to occur at Auburn's Neville Arena on "Senior Day" on Saturday, March 8^th to close out the regular season). . .Q: How monumental is it contextually speaking, for the basketball version of a rivalry game, such as "The Iron Bowl" to serve as the first time in SEC history that an AP Poll No.1 & AP Poll No. 2-ranked teams square off?. . .Q: Who do you predict to win this SEC showdown - #1 Auburn or #2 Alabama? (**Be sure to share your predictions/thoughts with us! You may tag us on X - @TraditionFinest -OR- You may send us a message via Email to [email protected]!!). . . - NCAA Women's College Basketball: The University of Texas Women's College Basketball team shocked the world on Sunday night - the No.4 Longhorns pulled off the upset over SEC rival No.2 South Carolina 66-62. . .The Longhorns' victory would snap the Gamecocks' 57-game winning streak in regular-season SEC Conference games dating back to December 2021. . .The Longhorns were led by G Madison Booker, who finished the game scoring 20 points - and Rori Harmon - who hit two critical FT's in the final seconds of the game - to secure the Longhorns' 8^th straight win, and 20^th in a row at home since January of last year (2024). . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk was officially hired as the new RB coach at the University of Colorado on Thursday - with this hire, Faulk becomes the third Hall of Famer to join the coaching staff of the Buffaloes, including HC Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders & senior defensive analyst Warren Sapp. . .While Faulk has never coached before, the guy knows a thing or two about the RB position - widely regarded as one of the best RB's of all time, Faulk was the NFL MVP in 2000, a three-time Offensive Player of the Year selection, a Super Bowl winner, a six-time All-Pro, and seven-time Pro Bowl selection. . .Faulk would play in the league for 12 seasons, playing for the Indianapolis Colts & the St. Louis Rams, and becoming the only player in league history to amass 12,000 rushing yards. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Colorado, Coach Prime hiring Marshall Faulk as the Buffaloes' new RB coach?. . - NBA - On Saturday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Brooklyn Nets had finalized a buyout with Ben Simmons - only a couple hours later, Simmons agreed to a deal to play out on the West Coast, or with the Los Angeles Clippers. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Clippers' acquisition of Ben Simmons?. . .The trade deadline deal that sent Charlotte Hornets C Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Rookie F Dalton Knecht, F Cam Reddish & future draft capital has been rescinded - reports indicate that the trade was rescinded due to the Hornet's "failure to satisfy a condition of the trade," - and what was the failed condition, you might be asking?. . .Mark Williams did not pass his physical, according to the Lakers, the physical reportedly showed "multiple issues" - and furthermore, that it was not related to the injury Williams has been dealing with that has kept him in & out of the Hornets' lineup. . . ESPN's Bobby Marks reported that, since the trade deadline has passed, the trade cannot be amended for completion - in other words, Knecht & Reddish are returning to L.A., while Mark Williams is headed back to Charlotte. . .AND the Lakers are now in trouble with a lack of solid depth at the Center position. . .To add some stability to the post, the Lakers signed former Kings 7-footer Alex Len on Tuesday evening. . .Q: Did the Lakers finally get their "big man" that can help take some of the pressure off their backcourt?. . .Following the blockbuster trade prior to the NBA trade deadline that shocked the world - both Anthony Davis & Luka Doncic made their debuts with their new teams - and it's safe to say - it went well for one team, while the other. . .Yea, it's not off to a good start - In his debut with the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, PF/C Anthony Davis exited the Mavericks' win over the Houston Rockets with less than a minute remaining in the third QTR with a left adductor strain injury - prior to his injury, Davis had recorded 26 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists & 3 blocks in 31 minutes. . .Unfortunately, for GM Nico Harrison & the Mavericks, sources confirmed on Monday that Davis is expected to "sit out multiple weeks," and that his absence "could stretch to a month" because of this injury. . .As for PG Luka Doncic's debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night versus the Utah Jazz, Doncic would finish with 14 points, 5 rebounds & 4 assists as the Lakers would go on to defeat the Jazz 132-113, and pull out their 6th straight win. . .Q: Is it even more clear now, following Davis' injury in his Mavs debut, that the Lakers won this trade by a significantly large margin. . . - NFL - Prior to Sunday's Super Bowl LIX showdown between the Eagles & Chiefs, the NFL announced the most prestigous individual player awards at Thursday's NFL Honors Ceremony held in New Orleans, LA - where the top performers were recognized from the 2024 NFL season. . .and the Winner of the 2024 NFL MVP is. . .**Tune into this Episode to find out - and JD & Spencer discuss each of the Individual player awards - from the 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award to the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. . .For the second time in the past three years, WR Deebo Samuel Sr. has requested that the San Francisco 49ers trade him - and it appears that the Niners have granted Samuel & his agent permission to find a suitable trade partner. . .Q: What are a few favorable trade destinations for Deebo Samuel Sr.?. . . According to multiple reports, QB Aaron Rodgers is "unlikely to return" to the New York Jets next season (2025) - after two disappointing seasons in the "Big Apple," it remains unclear as to whether Rodgers will continue his career elsewhere, or ride off into the sunset - Rodgers has maintained that he is undecided on his future. . .Q: Should Aaron Rodgers continue his career elsewhere next season? Or should he retire?. . . The New Orleans Saints announced on Tuesday that they have officially reached an agreement with Eagles OC Kellen Moore to become the 19th Head Coach in franchise history. . .Moore, an offensive-minded 13-year veteran, played QB for six seasons prior to entering the coaching ranks in 2018 - serving as an OC the past six seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the hire of Kellen Moore as the New Orleans Saints' new HC?. . . - NFL: Super Bowl LIX Review & Recap - The Philadelphia Eagles denied the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl "three-peat" with a dominant defensive outing by Eagles DC Vic Fangio's primal defensive unit, in a 40-22 rout on Sunday night at Ceasars Superdome in New Orleans. . .FOX Sports projected a Super Bowl record average audience of 126 million U.S. viewers across TV & streaming platforms for Super Bowl LIX. . .Eagles QB Jalen Hurts completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards, 2 TD's & an INT, while also rushing for 72 yards on the ground & a "tush-push" rushing TD - Hurts was named Super Bowl LIX MVP. . .Fangio's defense did not send a single blitz against Chiefs' QB Patrick Mahomes, yet they still managed to get pressure on 16 of his 42 dropbacks & forced three turnovers, including CB Cooper DeJean's pick-six in the first half - as well as the pick by LB Zack Baun shortly before the end of the first half. . .The Eagles led the Chiefs 24-0 at the halftime break. . .Eagles RB Saquon Barkley was targeted most of the night, only accounting for 57 yards rushing, but he did break Terrell Davis' record for yards rushing in a season, playoffs included. . .Rapper Kendrick Lamar performed during the Halftime break - Q: What were your thoughts on his performance?. . .After the camera panned to Chiefs TE Travis Kelce's famous girlfriend, Taylor Swift, for a split moment, the Stadium filled with "Boo's" - Q: What were your thoughts on how Taylor Swift was boo'ed by the crowd?. . .It was very shitty, in our opinion. . .Finally, as for the main reason millions of non-football/non-Sports fans tune in to the Super Bowl - the commercials - Q: What was your personal favorite Super Bowl commercial this year? (If your answer is not "The Seal singing 'Kiss from a Rose' by Seal" in the Mountain Dew commercial, your answer is wrong! ;). . .) Thanks for Listening!