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Smack dab in the middle of April as it’s Tax Day, but you won’t have to worry about yours truly adding any of that, surcharges, etc. as I’ve got plenty of sports chatter to get into as the latest podcast is here. On deck:

(4:03) Another mea culpa from yours truly as I was unable to produce a podcast for you on Thursday due to unforeseen circumstances. I do sincerely apologize, and as of right now, all looks fine for a pod come this Thursday.

(5:13) There wasn’t a lot of drama over the latter part of the Masters in Augusta yesterday where Scottie Scheffler won his second green jacket in three years. The #1 player in the world has gotten off to a tremendous start this year, but can he carry this into the final three major tournaments over the next few months? I’ll get into the performances of other golfers at the top of the leaderboard (Collin Morikawa, Ludwig Aberg, Bryson Dechambeau, in particular) Also, what happened to Tiger Woods as he had one of the worst ever majors in his illustrious career. How about Rory McIlroy as he’s looking for his first major win in ten years?

(21:57) It was a wild final week in the Association as OKC got the #1 seed in the West after Denver lost a brutal penultimate game vs. San Antonio. The Knicks crept up to get the #2 seed in the East, where the Bucks fall to three. Will Milwaukee get their act together, with or without Giannis Antetokounmpo in the lineup? The Sixers have been red hot heading into the play-in tournament where they’ll host the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. I’ll detail the top headlines heading into the next few days (ex. West play-in better than East. Can Sixers go on a run? What bout Miami who did it last year in this spot?) Will the Lakers win to set up a rematch of last year’s Western Finals vs. Denver? Can Golden State make it in as an eighth seed?

(40:38) We’re just days away from the NHL season concluding. The only intrigue is who’ll end up with the most points in the NHL when it’s all said and done (Carolina or NY Rangers)? What about the bitter fight for the last wild card spot in the East? Four teams are separated by one point! Which of them will qualify? (Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington or Pittsburgh) Is it possible for the Arizona Coyotes to relocate to Salt Lake City starting next year? That’s been the hot topic as of late where the ‘Yotes could trek to Utah before the 2024-25 season.

(52:58) Today (April 15th) is Jackie Robinson Day, which was his first day in the Major Leagues 77 years ago today. I’ll chime in on that and bring you up to date on what’s happening as we’re two and a half weeks in the marathon of the MLB.

(59:02) The main bout in UFC 300 couldn’t have ended any more dramatic with Max Holloway knocking out Justin Gaethje with seconds left in the final round. Is it the best ending in the history of the sport?

(1:04:16) I’ll spend a few minutes on the death of O.J. Simpson. Do I even need to get into what he and his name means, not only in the sports world, but pop culture, news and controversy surrounding the former NFL great?

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Another holiday Monday presents a wild hour of sports talk as we transition away from the NFL with all of the latest happenings in the sports universe as I’ll unpack the following:

(3:00) It was a rough weekend for the NBA as they had to deal with a repeat slam dunk champion (Mac McClung) who’s in the G-League! Plus, an All-Star Game that had one team score over 200 POINTS as the East beat the West. What can they do to fix it? Is it too late to do so? Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn has been relieved of his duties. Was it fair? Then you have the finalists for the Naismith Hall of Fame which includes Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups. Why I think both wouldn’t be enshrined in Springfield if it was up to me? The Association is still on a respite as the schedule will pick up on Thursday.

(22:50) You had another stunner in college basketball as #2 Purdue loses to Ohio State, with an interim coach, no less. Does this hurt them for a #1 come tournament time? #1 UCONN is surely looking like a team that’s going to defend their title as they destroyed #4 Marquette in historic fashion. How about Rick Pitino, the head coach of St. John’s? They lost to Seton Hall last night and are now 6-9 in the conference. He had plenty of choice words for his team, calling it a disappointing year, stating how unathletic they are, lacking toughness, going in on his squad as they try to fight for a spot in the tournament. Caitlin Clark sets the women’s record all time for scoring in the sport, eclipsing Kelsey Plum in the process. And sad news as former Maryland coach, Lefty Driesell passed away at age 92.

(30:45) The NHL had a huge weekend with two outdoor games in the same venue. I’ll unwrap the Flyers-Devils meeting on Saturday night, with the second game being a nail biter where the Islanders blew a golden opportunity to beat their crosstown rival Rangers, 6-5 in OT. I was a witness to the latter game. How much that loss stings even a day later may come as a surprise? Also, the nerve of the Ranger fan, sounding like they’ve won 6 or 7 Stanley Cups as I had to deal with them for three plus hours yesterday. Don’t look now, but the Panthers have overtaken the Bruins in the Atlantic Division for the first time since the end of the 2021-22 season. I’ll see what else is happening in the other divisions and keep you up to speed on the latest.

(46:26) With position players reporting throughout the MLB, I have to throw in my two cents regarding Mets 1B, Pete Alonso and his desire to be a lifelong Met. I call out both the VP of baseball ops, David Stearns and of course, the owner, Steve Cohen to put his money where his mouth is as he’s stated in the past that he wants to operate his team like the Braves & Dodgers, to name a couple. There were two low level signings, (Whit Merrifield to Phillies and Liam Hendricks to the Red Sox) as spring training is in full swing.

(54:40) There was a golf tournament over the weekend in LA at the Genesis Invitational. It wasn’t a major, but you had some interesting developments regarding a couple of players. Tiger Woods had to withdraw with an illness after two rounds. Is this the last of Tiger being a dominant fixture on the course? You also had Jordan Spieth disqualified due to an erroneous scorecard. But your winner was Hideki Matsuyama who shot a 62 in the final round to win the tournament as we’re still six or seven weeks from Augusta.

(57:41) The Super Bowl of Racing had to be postponed due to inclement weather at the Daytona 500. They’ll race at 4pm today/Monday. Does this hurt the biggest racing event of the year?

(58:42) UFC had a surprise on Saturday night as Ilia Topuria stunned Alexander Volkanovski in a knockout that I’m sure quite a few didn’t expect. Is a rematch in order at some point in the not too distant future?

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.

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On a day that this country will never forget, I'll do my best to get us through a busy past few days in the sports world as I share with you the latest podcast. On deck:

(2:50) I'll reflect on a day that us as a nation we'll sadly always remember. My experience of the attack on lower Manhattan as I was just a few blocks from both planes that struck the World Trade Center and how that day impacted me and the rest of us as I revisit that horrific incident 22 years ago today.

(9:36) As I transition to the toy department of life, Week 1 of the NFL arrived with plenty to unpack, especially when it comes to my winners (i.e. Detroit, Miami and Green Bay) and losers (i.e. Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and NY Giants) I'll get into the Cowboys dismantling of the Giants in their building. Same for the Niners putting it on the Steelers. What about QB Brock Purdy? He continues his winning ways, but I have a thought on something that we haven't seen yet from Mr. Irrelevant when thrust in a big pressure spot that hasn't been discussed. I'll recap all of that transpired yesterday and Thursday night, with a look ahead to tonight's Monday night matchup between the Bills-Jets.

(36:11) Are the Alabama Crimson Tide already out of the college football playoff discussion? A surprising loss at home against the Texas Longhorns has them behind the eight-ball just two weeks into this season on whether or not they'll end up as one of the final four to play for a national championship. Also, the big story in the sport is what's happening in Boulder, CO as the Buffaloes have gotten off to a 2-0 start behind coach Deion Sanders. They have a trap game against their in-state rival Colorado St. this week, with games against Oregon and USC after that. Is a possible letdown in order?

(43:25) We're down to the final three weeks in the baseball season. A developing story coming out of Anaheim has the front office approaching Mike Trout to discuss a possible trade for the future Hall of Famer. Where will he go? How much will the Angels pay the whopping $245 million that's owed to him? And what will they get in return? Don't look now, but the Houston Astros are in first place in the AL West. Why it's important for them to win the division this year? I'll cover the rest of the baseball landscape, especially the AL East race, as well as, the NL Wild Card race as we down to the final 20-ish games of the year.

(56:10) Coco Gauff finally wins her first ever Grand Slam title as she's the US Open Champ on the women's side. While it's the same old song on the men's side as Novak Djokovic secures his 24th Slam championship, defeating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, stamping his approval of who the GOAT is in tennis all time.

(1:00:44) A shocking upset in MMA happened Saturday night as middleweight Israel Adesanya was unable to beat fill-in and handpicked opponent Sean Strickland, losing by decision. Is a rematch forthcoming where Adesanya can exact some revenge?

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.

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There's quite a bit to get into as I close out the week with my third podcast detailing all that's transpired in the world of sports. On deck:

(3:15) The MLB trade deadline is days away. Who would've thought that the Angels are the first team to get the ball rolling as they acquire pitcher Lucas Giolito from the White Sox. Not only are they looking to contend as they're four games back of the AL Wild Card, but is this a message sent to Shohei Ohtani that they mean business? I'll go through some of the other key players that have been rumored to be dealt by the August 1st deadline. And also, bring you up to speed on the Wild Card races in both leagues and see where we stand heading into the final weekend of July.

(22:11) NFL training camps are open throughout the nation. Aaron Rodgers takes a significant pay cut in New York, which'll free up cap space to bring in more players as they look to make a Super Bowl run. Giants RB Saquon Barkley signs a one year deal to stay in NY. Why I think this is his last year on the G-Men? I'll cover a few other big signings (i.e. Andrew Thomas, Trevon Diggs and Justin Herbert) as we're six weeks away from the start of the regular season.

(27:46) Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is facing a four game suspension for recruiting violations back in 2020. Was this a slap on the wrist? Why wasn't Harbaugh up front? Should the suspension been harsher?

(32:18) Jaylen Brown has signed the richest contract in NBA history as he re-ups with the Celtics for $304 million dollars. Is he worth it? Is it more of the system than the player? Then you had the unfortunate story regarding Bronny James as he recovers from cardiac arrest that he suffered during a practice at USC.

(39:24) Longtime Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron goes off into the sunset and retires after 19 seasons with the organization. Does he belong on the teams Mount Rushmore? Sebastian Aho signs an eight year deal to stay in Carolina. And a sad note as Blackhawks CEO Rocky Wirtz dies at the age of 70.

(43:37) You have a good marquee fight on Saturday night in boxing as Errol Spence Jr. will square off against Terence Crawford. Is this match a few years too late? As for the UFC, you have another Dustin Poirier-Justin Gaethje bout as they'll go at it for a second time.

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.

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Spring is in the air as it's officially the first day of a new season. Which also segues into the first of two pods this week as I've got you covered on anything and everything sports related. On deck:

(3:09) I have to start off with a mea culpa as my Monday podcast from last week was deleted from the podcast stratosphere. I don't know how that happened, but it also affected the order of Thursday's podcast as well. I apologize for any mix up and confusion in trying to download/listen to the episodes from last week. It goes without saying, I greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.

(5:03) This time last week, we had 68 teams on the NCAA Tournament docket. Now we're down to the Sweet Sixteen. I'll review the good (i.e. Princeton, Fairleigh Dickinson and Florida Atlantic) the bad (i.e. Duke, Virginia) and the ugly (i.e. Arizona, Purdue) as we close out the first week of the Madness and have our sights set on the next round continuing on Thursday. NOTE: While discussing Arkansas being able to hang with Kansas, I referred to them as Arizona. My apologies for the error.

(30:33) I'll stay on the hardwood and briefly go through the Association. Ja Morant should make his return after his eight game suspension. After an enormous 29 point comeback vs. San Antonio on Friday, could this be a turning point after a tumultuous few weeks for the Grizzlies? Can Memphis and Sacramento put pressure on the leaders of the West in Denver? What about the Sixers as they've leapfrogged over the Celtics and have only the Bucks ahead of them in the East?

(34:33) The NHL has been relatively low key as the Rangers did the Islanders a favor, sweeping the Penguins this weekend to where the Islanders regained the top Wild Card spot in the East. Besides that, we're just counting down these last dozen or so games to get to April and begin the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

(37:28) There were plenty of transactions after the initial wave as the NFL offseason has commenced. I'll discuss the Steelers transactions (i.e. Patrick Peterson, Isaac Seumalo and Cole Holcomb), the Cowboys bringing in a wideout (Brandin Cooks via trade with Houston) Bengals sign some reinforcements on the offensive line (Orlando Brown, Jr.) but incumbent Jonah Williams is requesting a trade. Speaking of O-Line, Texans Laremy Tunsil is now the highest paid in tackle in the sport to stay in Houston. Adam Thielen is now a member of the Carolina Panthers.

(46:00) USA is back in the WBC Final as Cuba was their latest triumph. They'll face either Japan or Mexico in the championship game. Is it me but did the US have a cakewalk of a schedule to get to this point? Jose Altuve was hit by a pitch in Venezuela's game vs. US the other day. He suffered a fractured thumb. How long he'll be out? Who knows, but could there be some possible retribution down the road?

(50:59) Leon Edwards defeats Kamaru Usman for the second time in eight months to defend his 170 pound title, but found this one more satisfying in a majority decision than a knockout in their previous bout.

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It's a playoff/championship feel as the latest edition has arrived with plenty of pro and college football, sprinkled in with other sports to whet your appetite. On deck:

(2:58) There was a quite a bit of activity in the NFL over the past few days. For starters, I'll get into the progress of the health regarding Bills safety, Damar Hamlin, as things continue to look brighter as the days pass on. I'll discuss the league's plan of this postseason (i.e. not resuming the Bills-Bengals regular season game, an AFC Championship Game potentially being at a neutral site, not forgoing the bye week between the Conference Title Games and the Super Bowl, Media Day at the Super Bowl, the regular season being too long) as I get on my soapbox sharing my deepest thoughts on the above. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! Of course, I'll cap off Week 18 with my winners (i.e. Jacksonville & Miami) and losers (i.e. Las Vegas & Green Bay) and some of the other matchups that had playoff implications (including my beloved Steelers who fell short). Plus, a couple of storylines of what to look forward to on Wild Card Weekend.

(41:21) A National Champion will be crowned in college football tonight as TCU tries to pull off another upset as they face the defending champs in Georgia. Do they have a shot? Are they able to compete straight up without getting the breaks they did in the previous game against Michigan? Will Georgia's close call vs. Ohio State be the catalyst for playing a lot crisper this time around? I'll predict what may take place as the college football season comes to a close.

(49:01) The Nets are holding their collective breaths as Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury that needs an MRI. How long will he be out? The Clippers and Suns have been skidding out West mired in big losing streaks as they're hovering around the play in bracket as far as seeding is concerned.

(52:55) The Capitals get back a couple of reinforcements from within as Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson are back in the lineup for the first time all year. Jack Eichel makes a return to the Golden Knights after missing some time with a lower body injury. The Hurricanes have been relegated to a slight breeze as they've now lost three in a row after an eleven game winning streak. And the Bruins remain on fire as they're on a historic pace of wins and points this season.

(55:54) As for the MLB, Trevor Bauer has been released by the Dodgers last week. Where does he end up? Will a GM take a flyer on the former Cy Young Award winner?

(59:08) The first Grand Slam of the tennis season begins next week at the Australian Open, but it'll be without one of its biggest players as Carlos Alcaraz has to withdraw with a leg injury. Also, not in your scorecard will be Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep and Venus Williams. As for Alcaraz, are his injuries something will have to keep an eye on as he becomes the next great champion in the sport?

(1:01:37) UFC president, Dana White, recently admitted and apologized for an incident in a Mexico club with his wife as they engaged in a physical altercation. He was contrite, exhibited ownership and accountability for his actions, which were indefensible. Is there a possible punishment for his in the near future?

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

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With the Christmas weekend behind us, I have one last gift for your stocking as I share all of my thoughts on the entire sports landscape. On deck:

(3:21) We're down to the final two weeks of the NFL regular season. Week 16 didn't disappoint as they were teams trending up (i.e. Panthers, Jaguars, Packers) and some heading south (i.e. Titans, Dolphins, Commanders) as the above, among others, are jockeying for position to get into the postseason. I'll break down all that took place over the weekend and where we're at to date as the AFC & NFC playoff picture becomes clearer.

(33:46) The NBA had their annual Christmas Day slate of five games, which didn't live up to the hype. Sixers-Knicks was competitive until the fourth quarter, before Philly took over and won. And what's this about James Harden possibly making a return to Houston at the end of the season? (CORRECTION: I made a mention of Tyrese Maxey returning soon to the Sixers lineup. I accidentally called him Tyrone. My apologies for the faux pas.) The Mavericks put up 51 third quarter points on LeBron & company as they take care of the Lakers. The Celtics pull away with a big win vs. the Bucks. Memphis was no match for Golden State as they try to become rivals with some trash talk. And Nikola Jokic shows why he's a two time, back to back MVP as he records another triple double in a win vs. the Suns.

(41:50) On the ice, things have been super quiet. As in, no games have been played since late last week. I don't recall the NHL taking a few days off over the Christmas holiday in years past. Maybe the NBA & NFL had something to do with it. The two big recent developments have been Alexander Ovechkin surpassing Gordie Howe for number two all time on the career goal scoring list. And the Hurricanes have blown by the Devils in the Metropolitan Division as Carolina has won eight in a row, while New Jersey has dropped eight of their last 11. The Winter Classic is on deck next Monday as the Flyers visit Boston to play the Bruins in Fenway Park.

(45:44) This Mets/Carlos Correa soap opera is starting to irritate me. The two parties are "working through" the medical issues that hung up the original deal between Correa and the Giants. Well, I have an excellent idea to solve this once and for all. Then you have former Cy Young Award winner, Trevor Bauer (remember him?) reinstated back into the MLB. Will the Dodgers release him? Or bring him back for his final year of his contract? There were a couple of minor signings that transpired. Craig Kimbrel signs a one year deal with Philadelphia. Former Mets OF Michael Conforto inks a two year deal with San Francisco. Same for relief pitcher, Taylor Rogers as he joins his twin brother Tyler in the bullpen on the Giants as well.

(55:01) Stephan Bonnar, who was part of The Ultimate Fighter reality show which put the UFC on the map and grew the sport exponentially because of it, dies at the age of 45 a few days ago due to heart complications.

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I'm sending out some early sports holiday cheer (and jeers) as Episode #228 delivers nothing but unbiased and opinionated chatter to keep you entertained throughout. On deck:

(5:35) Get ready for the homestretch in the NFL as we're down to the final four games of the regular season. The bottom of the AFC (five 7-6 teams) & NFC (five 6-7 teams) playoff pictures are a jumbled mess at the moment. I'll assess where we're at in both conferences and where we may be possibly going forward as I'll get into my winners (Tampa Bay & Cleveland) and losers (Washington & Cincinnati) of Week 14. I'll also take a peek into the Week 15 schedule with an enormous matchup on Thursday night (Chiefs-Chargers) our first set of Saturday games (Raiders-Browns, Patriots-Colts) some key games on Sunday and a tribute to former Broncos/Texans and Jets WR Demaryius Thomas, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 33.

(37:03) I'll acknowledge the final regular season game of the college football season (Army-Navy). I make no bones about how all of the bowl games (minus the college football playoff semifinals) doesn't interest me. No surprise as to who the Heisman Trophy winner is (Alabama QB, Bryce Young) but Michigan coach, Jim Harbaugh, has a bold prediction for one of his players and Heisman Trophy finalist, Aiden Hutchinson for next year's NFL Draft.

(39:53) The NBA draws near to its' Christmas Day schedule, but there's a caveat that can't go understated. I'll explain. The Portland Trail Blazers have been in the news with a fired GM, their second best player (CJ McCollum) out with a collapsed lung, but the big story is perennial All-Star guard, Damien Lillard possibly looking for the exits and wanting out of Portland? There have been talks percolating for Sixers disgruntled guard, Ben Simmons as he's being dangled for potential offers from other clubs. But this is a case, where he's an 'untouchable' in reverse. The Bulls have TEN players in health and safety protocols. Will the league step in to postpone their games? Steph Curry is thisclose to becoming the all time three point regular season shooting record held by Ray Allen. Will we ever see Pelicans forward, Zion Williamson, on the court this year? I'll take a trip around the Association to keep you up to date on what's going on throughout the hardwood.

(57:47) The Calgary Flames have been the latest team in the NHL to be affected by a COVID outbreak as three of their games have been postponed. But in a strange and weird twist, the Arizona Coyotes look like a team that has already checked out from being in operation based on their behavior by not paying the bills? And the commissioner, Gary Bettman, has stated that they're not threatening to relocate! Really? I'll share my thoughts on that, as well as, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury winning his 500th victory last week. Is he a lock Hall of Famer? I'll skate around the league to inform you on the latest that's happening on the ice.

(1:08:39) A new #1 in college basketball as we'll have a different top ranked team to lead the nation after Purdue loses to Rutgers in stunning fashion last week. Baylor is now the new #1 in the sport. Will it last for at least a week?

(1:10:36) The Mets are still searching for a new manager, but I'll tell you who SHOULD be the guy to lead this team. AND WHY are they interviewing more unknown candidates?

(1:14:16) Tiger Woods coming back to the course sooner than we thought? He'll be participating in the PNC this coming weekend with his son, Charlie. Should there be any expectations or comparisons from his young boy as the spotlight will be squarely be on him and his famous dad this weekend?

(1:17:08) A shocking upset in the UFC over the weekend as Julianna Pena wins in a slugfest over Amanda Nunes in a bantamweight title fight. Will there be a rematch? A trilogy?

(1:20:13) To wrap up, my Hero and Zero of the Week.

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.

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Listen to "AFC/NFC Playoff Seeding Log Jam, Blazers/Lillard Parting Ways? Ben Simmons Too? NHL Coyotes Checking Out? New #1 In College Basketball. New" on Spreaker.

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Another sport has crowned a champion, so the fall sports are now front and center. I've got all that's shaking throughout the entire landscape as Episode #223 is chock full of opinions, analysis and critiques ready for your listening pleasure. On deck:

(6:07) With baseball out of our consciousness, all of early part of the NBA, NHL seasons, the teeth of the college football schedule about to be played, it's going to be all about The Shield (a.k.a. The NFL) They went through a week that they'd like to forget as the league had to endure one its players involved in a fatal car accident (i.e. Henry Ruggs) a positive COVID test and spoken untruth from arguably its best player (i.e. Aaron Rodgers) and drama surrounding its talented, yet mercurial wide receiver (i.e. Odell Beckham, Jr.) as he gets his release from the Cleveland Browns. Of course, I'll discuss my winners (Denver & Cleveland) and losers (Buffalo, LA Rams, New Orleans) of Week 9 and how this season has been underwhelming to date.

(40:22) The craziness of college football has come to roost yet again as Michigan State falls by the wayside and are on the outside looking in for the playoffs come New Year's Eve. I'll detail the week that was in the sport, including an early look as to who I see making it to the college football playoff late next month.

(50:56) I'll recap a World Series championship win by the Atlanta Braves, as unexpected of a Series run that we've seen. Now, we must fasten our seatbelts for what looks like a long, cold, hard winter of negotiations as the owners and players will have to come up with a new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) which will most likely be a fight to the bitter end. Will there be a new agreement in time for the 2022 season? Will it be delayed? Postponed?

(56:17) The NBA is going to have to deal with another scenario regarding an owner with alleged racist and misogynistic comments as Robert Sarver of the Suns has been reported in the past week by ESPN. Even with the investigation ongoing, what should the NBA do? Is Sarver on his way out? I'll also take a trip around the Association to see what's the latest, including normalcy is back in the Eastern Conference, Joel Embiid will have to sit out due to a positive COVID test and is this the beginning of the end of LeBron James's indestructibility.

(1:03:52) The ongoing saga in Buffalo with center Jack Eichel has come to an end. He gets dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights for players and draft picks. Who got the better of the deal? Plus, Sidney Crosby's return to the ice from a wrist injury was brief (i.e. COVID) and the rest of what's happening on the ice as we're closing in on the first complete month of the NHL season.

(1:13:27) Canelo Alvarez has unified all four titles in the super middleweight division. With his record (57-1-2, 39 KO's) is he considered an all time great fighter in the history of boxing?

(1:20:05) In MMA, Kamaru Usman defeats longtime rival Colby Covington in a close decision on Saturday night as they've competed in ten fights! Is this one time (or five times) too many? Has this matchup become tiresome?

(1:22:50) Of course, I wrap up with my Hero and Zero of the Week.

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.

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Listen to "NFL Takes Shots To The 'Shield' (Rodgers, Ruggs & Odell) WK 9 Winners/Losers, Michigan St. Meltdown, Suns Sarver Next In Line To Go? Eichel" on Spreaker.

NBA Finals. A Stanley Cup Finals recap. MLB at the halfway point. Novak Djokovic’s attempt at immortality. A preview of The British Open. Conor McGregor’s latest setback. And a rule that MUST be changed in soccer, especially when it comes to winning a championship.

Where else are you going to find all of that on one podcast? Right here, so please indulge me as I entertain you as Episode #203 is ready to set your speakers or earbuds on fire. On deck:

(5:54) The NBA Finals haven’t really been anything to write home about to date, but the Bucks have gotten back into the series as a pivotal Game 4 looms. What can the Suns do to stop the Giannis freight train? Will there be a Khris Middleton sighting? This is familiar territory for the Bucks as they do their best to dig outof another 0-2 hole. Who else from the Suns can step up and be the guy, besides Chris Paul and Devin Booker? There was also a new coaching hire as Jamahl Mosely is the top dog in Orlando.

(23:46) The Tampa Bay Lightning have won back to back Stanley Cups. The big question is? Can they go for a three-peat which hasn’t been witnessed in the league in almost 40 years? I’ll have the answer to that as I put the NHL playoffs to rest.

(33:52) I’ll go through what may be the pretenders and contenders in MLB. There isn’t much to discuss here as it’s been pretty much status quo for the past few weeks. You’ll have to listen to get a full grasp of what I’m saying. I’ll also discuss Jacob deGrom’s decision to not participate in the All-Star Game. The actual game itself. And how the Mets were able to get one of the top pitchers in the country via the MLB Draft last night.

(51:50) Novak Djokovic’s quest for immortality as he has completed 3/4 of the calendar Grand Slam, and in the process, has tied Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam victories by a men’s player in history. What will the pressure be like for Joker as we approach the US Open next month?

(57:49) I’ll preview the British Open which begins on Thursday. Will the weather/elements be a factor? (That’s usually the case) Who may we see at the top of the leaderboard when all is said and done?

(1:04:06) The Conor McGregor-Dustin Poirier bout did not go as planned as Poirier wins by TKO at the fifth minute of the first round due to a cracked tibia as McGregor tried to plant his left foot. Is this the beginning of the end for McGregor?

(1:11:21) Italy wins the Euro Cup over England on penalty kicks. PENALTY KICKS?! Are you effing kidding me? Soccer may not be my forte, but something has to give as these championship matches CANNOT come down to this. I have a solution that’ll upset the soccer fan, but will make sense for a better and dramatic product.

(1:17:47) And, of course, my Hero and Zero of the Week!

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.

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Listen to "Giannis On A Mission? Suns Look For Answers. Lightning: A Three-Peat On Deck? MLB's Pretenders/Contenders. Djokovic's Immortality. British O" on Spreaker.

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A surprise guest joins me on Episode #202 to discuss a sport that yours truly is slowly but surely embracing as its popularity continues to grow by the second. I welcome MMA/UFC with open arms as I get clued in on the latest happenings in the sport as Frank Tirado of MMAinNYC.org shares his expertise on the following: The evolution of MMA, the brilliant business mind of UFC President, Dana White. Is this Conor McGregor’s last stand vs. Dustin Poirier? Plus, who is on his Mt. Rushmore for MMA? And much more!

NOTE: This was my first recording on Zoom. Although the audio comes through clear, I had to use a headset as opposed to my usual microphone setup. Nevertheless, this is unchartered territory for the podcast so I hope you enjoy it as much as the previous shows.

To learn more about Frank’s MMA meetup group, please go to www.mmainnyc.org

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. Interlude music by Bensound.

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Listen to "Frank Tirado of MMAinNYC.org On All Things UFC, Dana White's Business Savvy, Conor McGregor's Last Stand? The Dustin Poirier Trilogy & Who B" on Spreaker.