Posts tagged Purdue
Purdue’s Time? A UCONN Repeat? SC Spoils Caitlin Clark's Title Run. Coach Cal Leaves Kentucky! A Bucks Flameout In The Works? Fight For NHL’s East Wild Card Spot. Good & Bad Of MLB’s First 10 Days

The sports world continues to heat up in the best sports month of the year. Your favorite little podcast host has it all covered as the latest edition is delivered for your edification. On deck:

(4:38) I have to start off by sharing my thoughts on the earthquake that took place in the Northeast on Friday, which sets up today’s solar eclipse scheduled for this afternoon.

(5:43) As for what’s happening between the lines, we have a mammoth championship game that’ll take place tonight as the NCAA Tournament should conclude with a bang! #1 Purdue will face #1 UCONN with plenty of subplots that I’ll dissect and preview who’ll cut down the nets as champs. I’ll look back to Saturday night’s semifinal games as the Cinderellas (NC State & Alabama) clocks struck 12 to set the stage for a matchup we’ve anticipated. As for the women’s side, Caitlin Clark and Iowa were unable to get the brass ring for the second straight year as they lost to South Carolina in the title game yesterday. I’ll recap their Final Four, the perfect season for the Gamecocks, coach Dawn Staley’s words in regards to Caitlin Clark’s GOAT status as the Hawkeyes fall short. What about the surprising news of John Calipari leaving Kentucky to become the head coach of Arkansas. Was there pressure building for Coach Cal considering two terrible performances in the first round of the tournament over the years? Will he make Arkansas a championship caliber team?

(36:36) There’s an interesting scenario developing in the NBA as we enter the final week of the season. The Milwaukee Bucks are in a battle for the #2 seed in the East. The Orlando Magic, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers are hot on their tails to see if they can have the opportunity to host two home series in the playoffs. Despite players on the team who have won a championship, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, do you trust the Bucks to go far in the postseason? What are the expectations for Damian Lillard to step up and take his team to the next level? I’ll uncover all of the latest with teams jockeying for playoff positioning as the chase for the Lawrence O’Brien trophy looms

(51:04) The NHL is also creeping closer to the end of their season. There is a log jam at the bottom of the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. The Islanders are the third seed in the Metropolitan Division, but could easily be knocked out as the Penguins, Flyers and Capitals are breathing down their necks to snatch their potential playoff spot. I’ll break down all of what the ice has to offer as divisions, the President’s Trophy and seedings are all up for grabs as the season ends in ten days.

(1:00:19) We’re ten days into the MLB season. I’ll get into who’s been good (Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Boston) and who’s been bad (Minnesota, Miami and Houston) right out of the gate. Also, some key pitchers are either on the mend, uncertain or certain for Tommy John surgery as the Yankees Gerrit Cole will start throwing this week, Braves Spencer Strider has damage in his right elbow at the moment and Guardians Shane Bieber will undergo the dreaded UCL surgery and is out for the year. Then there are the Oakland A’s as their days are numbered in the Bay Area as they’ll be moving to Sacramento for three years, prior to their expected landing spot in Las Vegas for the 2028 season.

(1:09:36) There were a handful of NFL players that have re-signed with their teams over the past week as the Draft is forthcoming, two weeks from Thursday.

I’m honored to welcome in a new partnership to the podcast. Are you familiar with Olipop soda? If not, you’ll definitely want to acquaint yourself with this healthy, crisp and refreshing beverage that has no GMO’s, organic with natural ingredients that you can read. They have the classics (Vintage Cola, Root Beer, Ginger Ale, Lemon Lime) as well as new flavors that are irresistible (Banana Cream, Watermelon Lime and my favorite, Tropical Punch) Please go to www.drinkolipop.com, type in SODALOVE for 15% off of your purchase.

Please subscribe, leave a rating and post a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Amazon Music and iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

For daily shorts, weekly vlogs and then some, please subscribe to my YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMucZq-BQrUrpuQzQ-jYF7w

If you'd like to contribute to the production of the podcast, please visit my Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/TheJAYREELZPodcast  

Many thanks for all of your love and support.  

Intro/outro music by Cyklonus.



Caitlin Clark’s GOAT Status, Cinderella NC St. A Purdue-UCONN Clash? 76ers Embiid’s Return, Primed For Playoff Run? An Epic Line Brawl At MSG! MLB’s Wild First Week. Diggs Dealt. Better For BUF?

There’s a championship feeling in the air as I prepare you for a big weekend in sports with plenty to uncover on the latest edition of the podcast. On deck:

(3:57) A rarity for the podcast as I had to record this late Thursday night  instead of the usual early morning hours, so my apologies for the delay.

(4:57) The Final Four is set for both the men’s and women’s in college basketball tipping off tonight with the ladies. I’ll begin there as Caitlin Clark has been the story with a dominant, virtuoso performance against rival LSU. Can Clark be called the GOAT of women’s basketball? How about Angel Reese’s reaction after the game, considering a year ago she was the target of ridicule based on her actions after beating Clark in the championship game? What will the ratings be if Iowa makes it to the Final? Then, I’ll cover the men’s semifinals as both Alabama and especially NC State, are the underdogs against the top seeds UCONN & Purdue. Can the Wolfpack get to a Final and relive what the 1983 team did, led by Jim Valvano? Will we see a clash of the titans between the two one seeds? I’ll cover it all as we’re down to the last few games to see who’ll represent in the national championship game.

(21:40) Sixers Joel Embiid made his long awaited return from knee surgery this week. Will he carry his team on a deep postseason run? The Knicks lose a key member of their team as Julius Randle has to get surgery for a shoulder injury. How far can the Knicks go in the playoffs without his presence? I’ll break down the latest in the Association as the season will conclude in ten days. Also, Rajon Rondo retired from the league as he announced that on a recent podcast. I’ll share my thoughts as a Celtic fan on his career and his impact on the game.

(34:30) What a sight to behold at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night! The Devils and Rangers literally squared off to where a line brawl commenced after the puck was dropped where eight players were ejected for their actions, with the heavyweight matchup of Kurtis MacDermid vs. Matt Rempe being the long anticipated bout. Was this a black eye for the sport? What has the reaction been with fans after this ultra rare occasion? I’ll see what else is happening in both conferences when it comes to the playoff races as most teams have five or six games left in the season.

(46:16) Baseball had an interesting first week. We’ve witnessed a no-hitter on April Fool’s Day, the earliest that’s happened in the long history of the MLB. (Astros Ronel Blanco) Mookie Betts has five home runs so far and the Mets FINALLY get a win!

(53:47) WR Stefon Diggs was shipped from Buffalo to Houston a few days ago for a second round pick in next year’s draft. Who got the better of the trade? You can say both teams, more so for the Bills as I’ll explain. Then you’ve had bizarre instances with Chiefs WR Rashee Rice causing a six car accident on a Dallas highway. Former Lions CB Cam Sutton was on the lam for several days before turning himself in to an alleged domestic violence incident. And sad news as former player Vontae Davis was found dead in his home at the age of 35.

I’m honored to welcome in a new partnership to the podcast. Are you familiar with Olipop soda? If not, you’ll definitely want to acquaint yourself with this healthy, crisp and refreshing beverage that has no GMO’s, organic with natural ingredients that you can read. They have the classics (Vintage Cola, Root Beer, Ginger Ale, Lemon Lime) as well as new flavors that are irresistible (Banana Cream, Watermelon Lime and my favorite, Tropical Punch) Please go to www.drinkolipop.com, type in SODALOVE for 15% off of your purchase.

Please subscribe, leave a rating and post a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Amazon Music and iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

For daily shorts, weekly vlogs and then some, please subscribe to my YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMucZq-BQrUrpuQzQ-jYF7w

If you'd like to contribute to the production of the podcast, please visit my Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/TheJAYREELZPodcast  

Many thanks for all of your love and support.  

Intro/outro music by Cyklonus.



Visions Of ’83 For NC State, Bama’s First Final 4. Purdue-UCONN Matchup? Is Any Lead Safe In NBA? My Dark, Twisted MLB Nightmare! Rangers: NHL’s Best? NFL Up To Old Tricks!

No fooling around on this first day of April! I’m ready to fire on all cylinders as I’ve got plenty of sports talk to unpack as a new week, month and quarter begin. On deck:

(4:08) I offer an apology to you guys and gals for not publishing my Thursday podcast (after the MLB Preview) due to some unforeseen circumstances. Add in Easter and celebrating a birthday yesterday, it had yours truly running around, enjoying life as I haven’t posted any thoughts on what’s happening in sports on my YouTube channel, social media, etc. I appreciate your patience and understanding as I send a mea culpa to start.

(6:30) March Madness pivots to April as the Final Four in the Men’s tournament is set! You have a Cinderella in #11 seed, NC State. A #4 seed and first time ever visit to a semifinal in Alabama. Then the two #1 seeds in Purdue (first FF since 1980) and UCONN (defending champs) I’ll talk about their journey to this point, including some early headlines of these four teams representing out in Glendale where the Final Four will take place on Saturday night. On the women’s side, there’s lot of intrigue with a regional semifinal tonight where LSU will play Iowa to see who goes onto the Final Four. We know about these rivals dating back to last year’s tournament. NC State has advanced, just like their male counterparts. Can the Lady Huskies do the same with a win tonight vs. USC?

(28:24) The Association is down to the final couple of weeks of the season. It’s a Wild Wild West at the top and bottom of the conference. Lakers continue their winning ways on a current East coast trip, trying to stay ahead of the Warriors for the ninth seed. Golden State keeps winning, where the Rockets had their eleven game winning streak snapped as they’ve tried to keep pace with the Dubs for the final seed out West. Has luck run out for Houston? What about the race for the top seed between OKC, Denver and Minnesota? Who needs it the most? I’ll check on what’s happening out in the East, as it’s not as intriguing, unless you’re interested in the battle of the 3-8 seeds. More importantly, is any lead safe in the NBA? After watching the Celtics blew a 30 point lead to Atlanta last week. And the Bucks coughed up an 18 point fourth quarter lead against a LeBron James-less Lakers team. This could be something to pay attention to come playoff time, although it’s unlikely to happen.

(42:40) Just four days into the baseball season, I’m already living a dark, twisted nightmare. My beloved Mets are 0-3 and the Yankees are 4-0. I’ll explain further as to why this is the case. I’ll discuss some early suspension for two pitchers (Mets Yohan Ramirez and Blue Jays Genesis Cabrera), which teams had a good weekend and who didn’t?

(53:06) On the ice, we’re down to about seven or eight games left of this long season. Are the Rangers the best team in the NHL at the moment? Are they peaking at the right time? I’ll get into their chances of competing for a Cup and take a trip to see what teams are in good stead for making the playoffs, who’s on the cusp and who’s fallen off completely?

(1:02:52) Lastly, there are a few NFL news and notes to dive into. I like the new kickoff rule (adopted from the XFL) Reviewing intentional grounding, roughing the passer and hits out of bounds (Ok?) Moving the trade deadline up to Week 9 (Fine.) Some acquistions last week, highlighted by the Jets acquiring Eagles pass rusher, Haason Reddick (Alright!) Here’s comes the cold water. The Eagles opener in Sao Paolo, Brazil, the Friday game after the likely Chiefs raising the curtain on the season the day before, will be aired on Peacock. (What?!) And there will be two games on Christmas Day, but the holiday falls on a Wednesday! (SERIOUSLY!?) What’s next? A game every day on the NFL calendar?

I’m honored to welcome in a new partnership to the podcast. Are you familiar with Olipop soda? If not, you’ll definitely want to acquaint yourself with this healthy, crisp and refreshing beverage that has no GMO’s, organic with natural ingredients that you can read. They have the classics (Vintage Cola, Root Beer, Ginger Ale, Lemon Lime) as well as new flavors that are irresistible (Banana Cream, Watermelon Lime and my favorite, Tropical Punch) Please go to www.drinkolipop.com, type in SODALOVE for 15% off of your purchase.

Please subscribe, leave a rating and post a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Amazon Music and iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

For daily shorts, weekly vlogs and then some, please subscribe to my YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMucZq-BQrUrpuQzQ-jYF7w

If you'd like to contribute to the production of the podcast, please visit my Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/TheJAYREELZPodcast  

Many thanks for all of your love and support.  

Intro/outro music by Cyklonus.



Damar Hamlin's Health, NFL Week 18 & Possible Playoff Schedule. NBA Career Highs/Zion Hurt Again! NHL Winter Classic Recap. Devers Big Payday! Rutgers Upset #1 Again. G'Town's Low Point

A somber, yet busy sports week leads into another entertaining and jam packed podcast. On deck:

(2:51) The NFL and sports world was shaken by the incident in Cincinnati on Monday night as Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed to the turf as he went into cardiac arrest. His recovery has shown improvement, but there's still a way to go as far as him being 100% healthy. Which leads to the intrigue of the upcoming schedule. When will they replay the Bills-Bengals game? How this affects the AFC playoff picture? Most of all, what does the upcoming postseason schedule look like? I'll look into my crystal ball to tell you what I think the NFL will do and what the NFL should do? It's an interesting debate as we find some closure on the regular season, while preparing for the road to the Super Bowl.

(28:02) The NBA had some big time scoring outputs this week with a couple of career highs for Giannis Antetekounmpo (55 points) and Donovan Mitchell (71 points. The most since the late, great Kobe Bryant's 81 back in 2006.) The Celtics gave up how many points to the Oklahoma City Thunder without their best player in the lineup? A player that'll be out of the lineup for a few weeks is Pelicans forward, Zion Williamson with a hamstring injury. Could he be out longer than that considering his history with health? I'll take a trip around the Association, including the Nets getting their 11 game winning streak snapped by the Bulls last night.

(35:21) The NHL had its Winter Classic on Monday in Boston as the Penguins faced off against the Bruins. I'll recap a wonderful setting on a balmy January day, the Bruins success at home, indoors or out and a peek to next year's Winter Classic in Seattle of all places.

(39:58) There was some activity in baseball as far as a major signing (no, not Carlos Correa) but Rafael Devers re-signs with the Red Sox for 11 years/$331 million dollars. Was this a case of too little, too late appeasing the fan base after losing out on former shortstop, Xander Bogaerts?

(45:00) For the second year in a row, Rutgers upsets Purdue, the #1 seed in the country in surprising fashion. Then there are the Georgetown Hoyas, as they did something unimaginable. They've lost 25 consecutive Big East conference games, which is a record. What does this mean for the future of legendary figure Patrick Ewing as coach of the team?

Please subscribe, leave a rating and post a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, Stitcher, Spotify, Luminary, Amazon Music and iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you'd like to contribute to the production of the podcast, please visit my Patreon page at: www.patreon.com/TheJAYREELZPodcast

Many thanks for all of your love and support.

Intro/outro music by Cyklonus.