Tradition's Finest Episode 97 - "The BigBear/SmallerBear Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 97 - "The BigBear/SmallerBear Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - Miscellaneous - On this week's introductory or our 'Penalty Box' segment, JD & Spencer discuss & share their thoughts on "Happy Gilmore 2," which is the sequel to the original hit film, that was released in 1996. The film, which was recently released on the streaming service, Netflix, was thirty years in the making, yet it has been met with overwhelmingly negative reviews, with critics and fans calling it "lazy," "not funny," & a "depressing mess" that disrespects the original film by undoing its accomplishments. The common complaints from our fellow "keyboard warriors" include a lack of original humor, a narrative that negates the first film's happy ending, an overreliance on nostalgia & cameos, and finally, a tone that doesn't align with the original film's appeal. Allow us to be the first to say: Ignore the noise and Watch the Movie! - - and if you have a sense of humor, prepare to laugh your ass off! Yes! - the Adam Sandler film did feature a whopping total of 48 cameos, and granted, this is a bit too many - - but you cannot ignore the fact that many of the sequel's cameos, which included a slew of actors/celebrities, musicians & comedians, and notable athletes & sports figures from a wide array of professional sports - for example, the film featured a total of 19 professional golfers, including but not limited to the following: Scottie Scheffler, Rory Mcllroy, John Daly, Bubba Watson, Gilmore's former caddy from the original film - Will Zalatoris, Justin Thomas & Brooks Koepka; current & former NFL players, such as Travis Kelce & Reggie Bush, respectively; as well as Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (WNBA). Both JD & Spencer address their individual take of the overall plot, as well as multiple aspects of the film "Happy Gilmore 2," and subsequently, they each present it with an overall rating out of 10. . .Q: What were your thoughts of the film "Happy Gilmore 2?" What rating, from 1 (horrible/waste of time) to 10 (the best movie of all time!), would you give the Adam Sandler sequel?. . . - MLB - In a blockbuster deal that was completed last Thursday, the day of the MLB Trade Deadline, that had the baseball world buzzing, the Houston Astros re-acquired shortstop Carlos Correa from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for minor league LHP Matt Mikulski & cash, after Correa agreed to "waive" the no-trade clause included in his contract - - Per USA Today reporter Boby Nightengale, Minnesota will send roughly $33 million to help cover the remaining cost associated with Correa's contract - - Correa is owed approximately $96 million through the 2028 MLB season, with club options from 2029-2032 - - Correa, who was drafted as a shortstop by the Astros with the No.1 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, he would go on to become one of the most popular players & franchise icons in club history - - One aspect of the trade involved Correa's move to playing third base for Houston, after All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes sustained a hamstring injury, and could possibly miss the rest of this MLB season. . .Q: What are your thoughts about the Astros-Carlos Correa reunion?. .In an odd occurrence, MLB in-fielder Jose Caballero was faced with a literal no-lose situation last Thursday as his Tampa Bay Rays were in the middle of playing in the final game of a three-game series versus the New York Yankees - - And then, the news broke. . .Caballero had been traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to their current opponent, the New York Yankees - - The two AL East teams were in the middle of their game at Yankee Stadium when the news broke that the 28-year-old in-fielder, who was playing second base for the Rays at the time, had been traded to the Yankees - - The deal came together partly thanks to a nearly three-hour rain delay that occurred early on in the game - - When the news broke, as is typical procedure when a player is traded during a game, the Rays removed him from their lineup, yet it was evident that this was somewhat unexpected - as the TV broadcast caught Caballero embracing his Tampa teammates in the visitors' dugout at Yankee Stadium, while no such scene occurred in the Yankees' dugout (emotion-less pricks!) - - Following the Yankees 7-5 victory at home, Caballero joked "We won the game, I guess," after playing most of the game in a Rays jersey - - Caballero has now joined a Yankees team that is looking to return to the World Series for the second consecutive season - after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games last season. . . - WNBA & NBA - WNBA: At a press conference last Saturday evening, the WNBA informed the media that the individual who threw a "sex toy" onto the court at an Atlanta Dream game earlier in the week, had been arrested - - and went on to provide a stern warning, that, any person who throws objects onto the court will be ejected from the arena immediately, and will face a minimum one-year ban from attendance to WNBA games - - The incident that occurred in Atlanta took place late in the 4^th QTR of the Dream's game versus the Golden State Valkyries last Tuesday in College Park, Georgia - - While it seemed that the act might be an isolated incident, on the following Friday evening, another "sex toy" (i.e., a lime green dildo) was thrown onto the court after a whistle was blown to stop play in the 3^rd QTR - with it landing under the basket - of the Chicago Sky & Golden State Valkyries matchup, after which point, it was kicked aside by an official before it was picked up and removed - - Interestingly, yet not suprisingly, bookies & online betting sites have determined a way to profit off of this apparent new trend of fans throwing dildos onto the court during WNBA games - - Yes, a quirky new bet emerged, titled "Color of Third WNBA Dildo If Not Green," with the bet officially ending on August 3rd - the options included Black/Brown & Rainbow (+200), White/Caucasian (+250), Pink (+300), Purple (+325), and Blue (+1400), plus a wager on how the situation is handled - - Well, it didn't last very long! - Another "sex toy" was thrown onto the court during an WNBA game between the Los Angeles Sparks & the Indiana Fever on Tuesday - - the third such incident occurred in the 2nd QTR at Crypto.com Arena in L.A., and it was once again a green "toy" that was thrown, and it seemed as if Fever guard Sophie Cunningham was the target, after she previously asked people to stop throwing such objects on social media - but apparently, people do not care about the requests of WNBA players. . .NBA: Damian Lillard is returning to college, this time as the General Manager of his Alma Mater, Weber State University, where he once starred for the college basketball team - - The GM role has risen in popularity across college basketball & college football in recent years, and these GM's are tasked with overseeing programs in the wake of the transfer portal, NIL & the other changing dynamics involved in college athletics - - Lillard becomes the latest big name or high-profile NBA player to be hired for this type of role, including that of Stephen Curry (Davidson) - - The choice was simple: Lillard is the program's only All-American in school history, and so, Lillard will work closely with the coaching staff and athletic department leadership to provide insight, mentorship, and professional levels to elevate the program. . . - NCAA: News & Storylines - NCAA College Basketball: The NCAA Tournament will be sticking with 68 teams - for now - - The NCAA voted not to expand March Madness for the upcoming 2025-26 CBB season on Monday - - However, per NCAA Senior VP of Basketball Dan Gavitt, various NCAA committees will continue to discuss the topic of expansion of the college basketball tournament to including between 72 to 76 teams for future tournaments beyond next season. . .Q: What are your thoughts about the possibility of the expansion of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament field beyond 68 teams?. . .NCAA College Football: The University of Alabama seemed destined to land Mobile (Ala.) St. Paul's Episcopal five-star EDGE Anthony "Tank" Jones, but last Thursday on "The Pat McAfee Show" on ESPN, Jones would commit to the University of Oregon, donning the green & yellow upon the announcement of his committment - - Jones is now set to make the cross-country trek to Eugene at the next (or collegiate) level, and his committment gives Oregon its' 4th five-star pledge in the 2026 Class - - While Jones is rated as the No.18 player in the ESPN 2026 Class, he is also rated as the No.1 overall prospect in the state of Alabama - - Prior to his committment, Jones, on multiple occasions, had stated that he had always "dreamed" of playing for the Crimson Tide since he was a kid, and that Alabama "was always his dream school growing up," - - It's no surprise that based on this information, people were somewhat shocked to witness Jones commit to Oregon rather than his "dream school," but let's be honest: "You win some and you lose some!" - - but according to multiple reporters on social media, this loss of Jones to Oregon is being categorized as the "Biggest Whiff" in Crimson Tide recruiting history - - Money likely has a massive part to play in Jones' decision, but it certainly isn't the sole reason that he committed to Oregon - - Unfortunately for HC Dan Lanning & the Ducks, it's not over until National Signing Day in December, so tread carefully. . .Q: Do you agree or disagree with the 'haters" who referred to the loss of Jones to Oregon as the "biggest whiff" in Crimson Tide recruiting history?. . .Former University of Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley announced on 2026 Republican bid on Monday for the U.S. Senate in the state of Georgia against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff - - The 57-year-old Dooley is backed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and has been teasing a bid since early June - - Dooley has never held an elective office position before, yet he has said that he'll run as a political outsider, pledging to bring "good, old fashioned Georgia common sense," and "work with President Trump, fight for you and alway put Georgia first," - - Dooley, the son of legendary Georgia Bulldogs coach Vince Dooley, was a lawyer prior to his stint in coaching - - Dooley might be most remebered for his time at the University of Tennessee, compiling a 15-21 record with the Volunteers before he was fired in 2012 - - Since then, Dooley has been an assistant coach, with stints at the collegiate & professional level - - Dooley becomes one of the multiple former football coaches to run for office, including former Auburn HC Tommy Tuberville, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 for the state of Alabama, and is now running for state Governor - and University of Nebraska coaching legend Tom Osborne, who served three terms in the U.S. House - - Q: What are your thoughts on former Volunteers HC Derek Dooley's bid to run for U.S. Senate in the state of Georgia?. . . - NFL - 2025 NFL Preseason Hall of Fame Game: The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Detroit Lions 34-7 that kicked off the NFL's preseason last Thursday night in Canton, Ohio - - A few takeaways from the game: (A) Chargers QB Trey Lance was outstanding - - While Lance's NFL journey has been anything but memorable to this point - 3rd time in five seasons - Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh gave him three QTRs to prove he's worth a roster spot - and he did his thing & balled out, playing like a No.3 overall draft pick - Lance unquestionably delivered, completing 13-of-20 passes for 120 yards & 2 TDs, including a beautiful rollout toss to TE Will Dissly on 4th-and-goal, and a 15-yard pass on a difficult slant route to WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith - he was rarely fazed by the Lions' blitz, and remained efficient in the pocket while adjusting to the defensive coverage - Lance exceeded all expectations in total, earning respect while also producing evidence for his case to be selected over veteran QB Taylor Heincke as Justin Herbert's backup QB - - (B) The Lions' backup QB situation isn't as clear-cut: Obviously, Lions HC Dan Campbell did not allow QB Jared Goff, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, RBs Jahmyr Gibbs & David Montgomery, OT Penei Sewell or the rest of Detroit's star-studded offense to see any action in the first preseason game - - The name of the game is "backups" - - QB Kyle Allen was first up in the order & delivered a very up-and-down performance, completing 9-of-14 passes for 91 yards, but would go on to throw two horrendous INTs that tanked any positive momentum he had up until that point - Making matters worse, QB Hendon Hooker didn't fare any better, struggling with his accuracy, throwing a pick near the middle of the field on a pass that sailed - In other words, the Lions failed to find a rhythm with either of the backup QB's in the first game of the preseason - We will see if HC Dan Campbell possibly reverses the rotation next week, and if it helps Hooker because he could certainly use it. . .Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin, frustrated with negotiations on a contract extension, has requested a trade from the franchise, per ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday afternoon - - A sticking point seems to be McLaurin's age - as he would be age 31 when an extension would begin, an age that teams are stereotypically reluctant to pay big money for WRs - - Per Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox "the Commanders should consider acquiring [49ers] WR Jauan Jennings as a replacement," who is also looking for a new contract deal - as well as a trade out of San Francisco - - Q: What are your thoughts on the Commanders-Terry McLaurin situation? In your opinion, should the Commanders consider trading him OR should they take the risk by offering him an extension that would certainly set the precedent among 30-year-old WRs in the league?. . .Dallas Cowboys training camp began last week with Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons reporting but not participating as he awaited a contract extension - - However, on the following Friday, Parsons posted on social media that he is requesting a trade from the NFL franchise - - Parsons said "repeated shots" led to his decision to request a trade - - At the opening news conference of training camp, team owner Jerry Jones made a flippant remark when questioned about Parsons' availability during training camp - - Multiple sources have stated that they cannot recall a time when a Cowboys player has requested a trade - - Historically, the Cowboys have paid their stars, but it has taken time to get deals done, including with QB Dak Prescott (twice), RB Ezekiel Elliot, guard Zack Martin & WR Ceedee Lamb in recent years - - Ultimately, Jerry Jones has reportedly never lost a star player that he wanted to keep - - Q: Multiple NFC executives from across the NFL have stated that they do not believe that the Cowboys will trade Parsons - - Is it possible that both sides can repair the relationship back to when Parsons indicated that he "would never leave Dallas," & saying to ESPN in December that he didn't need to be the highest-paid defensive player in the game?. . .In a long-overdue moment of recognition, former Green Bay Packers WR Sterling Sharpe was officially enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday during a ceremony in Canton, Ohio - - The honor makes Sharpe, 60, the 382nd member of the Hall of Fame - and most notably, part of history - Alongside his younger brother, Shannon Sharpe, the Sharpes are now the only pair of siblings to ever be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame - - Sharper was a dominant force in the NFL from 1988 to 1994, earning three first-team All-Pro selections & leading the league in multiple receiving categories - - His 1992 season remains legendary, as he captured the receiving "Triple Crown," in which he led the NFL in receptions, yard, and TDs - - Last week, his brother Shannon, expressed his remorse for the news of his official departure from ESPN after he has faced multiple controversies & pending lawsuits - - Minnesota Vikings WR Jordan Addison has been suspended for the first three games of the upcoming NFL season for violating the league's "substances of abuse" policy - - Addision pleaded no contest on July 17th to a lesser charge to resolve a 2024 DUI citation - it was the plea agreement that made Addison subject to NFL discipline, as it acknowledges the use and/or consumption of alcohol in a driving incident - - He agreed to pay $390 fine and received a year of probation - - Addison will be eligible to return for the Vikings' Week 4 game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in an international game that will be played in Dublin, Ireland. . .Following his one season with the Chicago Bears, veteran WR Keenan Allen is returning to the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year, $8.52 million contract - - In a fascinating move, the Chargers used the pick they acquired from the Chicago Bears in the Keenan Allen trade from last season to move up & draft WR Ladd McConkey - - Now, Allen & McConkey are Chargers' teammates - - Q: What are your thoughts regarding the reunion of the Los Angeles Chargers & WR Keenan Allen? Do you think he has anymore miles left in the tank?. . .San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle interrupted teammate Fred Warner's interview on the NFL Network Tuesday afternoon to "air a grievance" that the league had issued a memo to all players earlier that morning, stating that it has prohibited the use of ammonia and smelling salts before & during all NFL games - - According to the memo, beginning this upcoming season, teams are prohibited from "providing or supplying ammonia in any form," which includes ammonia capsules, inhalers, ammonia in a cup, and any form of "smelling salts." - - The memo further stated that the ban comes as a result of FDA warnings that were issued in 2024 - - In the interrupted interview, Kittle went on to say that he is a regular user of smelling salts, taking them for a "boost of energy," before every offensive drive, noting "I miss them already." - - The nine-year TE even joked that, initially, after reading the memo, he was so upset that he contemplated retirement - - Q: What are your thoughts on the NFL's decision to ban players from using ammonia & smelling salts?. . . - 2025-26 College Football Preseason Prediction Showcase PT. IV: Big Ten Conference - - In the episode finale this week, JD & Spencer each provide their individual (and independent) projections/predictions for the Big Ten Conference - as well as our predictions for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Independent) - for the upcoming 2025-26 college football season - - They provided their overall predictions by presenting their responses to the following set of agreed-upon questions: 1. Which teams of the Big Ten Conference would you consider to be "Championship Contenders" next season? 2. Which teams of the Big Ten Conference would you consider to be "Championship Pretenders" next season? 3. Which programs would you consider to function as "sleeper team(s)" of the Big Ten Conference next season? 4. Who are a few "players to watch" out of the Big Ten Conference next season 5. Which Big Ten Conference program do you predict to win the 2025-26 Conference Championship? 6. How many Big Ten Conference programs do you believe will receive a bid into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff? Which team(s)? 7. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish's win total is currently set to 10.5 wins - - Based on their strength of schedule next season as well as their overall talent, do you expect HC Marcus Freeman's team to exceed 10.5 wins or just fall short? Why? Thanks for Listening!