The Sports Grind
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628 episodes
The second half of the NBA season begins tonight, and the New York Knicks have already announced that guard Kemba Walker will sit the rest of the season. That’s a bad look for both parties. In the NFL, there’s controversial quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson are drawing a lot of interest. Also, Troy Aikman is about to change the game, eyeing a nine-figure contract. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
Marshall is suing Conference USA in order to start next football season in the Sun-Belt Conference, the latest resistance against adapting to the realignment of the college football sphere. The NCAA’s reluctance to adapt to the shifting landscape is awful, and the SEC Commissioner said as much. Sticking with college football, former UT head coach Charlie Strong is joining the Miami Hurricanes. A caller re-ignites the Aikman discussion, and works Tony Romo into the mix. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The San Antonio Spurs were represented more on NBA All-Star Weekend than they have been in a while. From former leaders Patty Mills and DeMar DeRozan making the festivities with their new teams, to Dejounte Murray’s addition as a reserve, the fans should be proud. Still, as the week has progressed, bitterness about the absence of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team is spreading around the city. Calvin makes the case why the committee didn’t get it wrong leaving them off. The Brian Flores saga continues as the now Pittsburgh Steelers assistant sat down in a recent interview with Bryant Gumble, and shared that he turned down “millions” when offered a NDA that he feels would have “silenced” him. Far from silenced, Phil Mickelson was driven to an apology on Twitter after controversial remarks he said were “off the record” were published last fall. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
Calvin has been itching to talk about the and gets the chance to today, as well as looking at some trending shows. Back in sports, Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo was asked about the events following the Michigan/Wisconsin game last weekend. The remarks are fine, but Izzo speaking up is actually a reminder of what a rough season his Spartans are having. In the NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said the other day that Blaine Gabbert isn’t the worst option at quarterback, but are the guys buying it? Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
One of the rare palindrome days that come around, today’s show was truly one of a kind. Aaron Rodgers released an interesting post on Instagram last night ahead of his appearance today on the Pat McAfee Show. Was he being cryptic about his intentions or just overwhelmed with gratitude as he says? More interesting news came out today in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers set on Mason Rudolph and former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins to replace Ben Roethlisberger. In the NBA, LeBron James stole a number of headlines this weekend, many undermining the Los Angeles Lakers. From flirting with a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers to stating intentions to play with his son Bronny, there’s a lot to get into. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The success of Ja Morant at NBA All-Star Weekend has overshadowed the news of Zion Williamson’s delayed return to the court. The former number-one pick is falling behind his draft class, and Calvin wonders if it is time for the New Orleans Pelicans to sell high and move him. Another highly selected prospect, Mitchell Trubisky in the NFL says that he still wants to be a starter in the league. Is he a possible fit for the Indianapolis Colts or even somewhere else? Sticking with the NFL, the league has said it will use the XFL as a “growing ground” of sort for testing potential rule changes in the future. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
It was All-Star Weekend in the NBA, but college basketball provided a strong background conversation after Saturday’s incident at the Michigan vs Wisconsin men’s basketball game. After the final buzzer, there was a heated exchange between Michigan head coach Juwan Howard and Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard that resulted in Howard smacking a Wisconsin assistant coach. The question of the day - Is what Howard did worth firing him or just a suspension? Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The main topic of today’s show carries over from Hour 1 as Calvin takes some calls on the matter as well as the audience’s interaction on social media. Before the show ends, the guys discuss the NBA All-Star Weekend. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The NBA All-Star Weekend is here, and with it comes the dunk contest. Is it just Calvin, or is the event played out? Also played out is the four-team College Football Playoff, but like the dunk contest, the news today shows that it isn’t changing for a while either. In the NFL, Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott are both in the news, with the former flexing his power to get paid and the latter looking more influence in his team’s decisions. Has Prescott earned a greater say? Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
NBA writer Keith Smith of CelticsBlog.com joins the show in Hour 2 to look at the Boston Celtics’ strong run this season under Ime Udoka. The team recently acquired Derrick White at the NBA trade deadline in a move that is proving to be a good one. Before the end of the interview, Calvin gets Keith’s thoughts on the San Antonio Spurs’ other moves at the deadline, looking at the “winning” grade Keith gave them in his latest article for Spotrac. That wraps up the final show of the week as the guys go hit some quick topics to finish Hour 2. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, moving Coach Gregg Popovich into sole possession of second place on the all-time coaching wins list. Calvin looks at the accomplishment but thinks about the ones that got away with the former assistant coaches now running teams around the league. Speaking of coaches in the NBA, the reigning Coach of the Year, Tom Thibodeau may be running out of time with the New York Knicks. Hour 1 ends with a look at the headlines from the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl LVI parade, and wonders if they really can run it back. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The second hour opens with breaking news in the trial on the death of former Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs. The guys talk about the information you need to know surrounding the case. From there, the show takes a quick tour through the biggest topics from the day, including the Jim Harbaugh extension at Michigan, the Aaron Rodgers, Joran Love question in Green Bay, and the struggles of the Los Angeles Lakers. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
There’s never a dull day in the NFL. Troubled Houston Texans quarterback may once again be the hottest name this offseason as the team looks to move him. Locked in with a no-trade clause, he’s named two more teams that he’s interested in going to if a deal can be struck. One of America’s favorite teams to talk about, the Dallas Cowboys are back in the news thanks to head coach Mike McCarthy’s latest comments regarding owner Jerry Jones. Beyond that, the Cowboys settle at over $2 million in a sexual harassment lawsuit that had surprisingly been kept quiet. Not so quiet were NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s remarks regarding New York City’s vaccination policy that allows away players to compete unvaccinated, but prevents Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving from doing the same. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The second hour keeps things in the NBA, looking at the comments from Los Angeles Lakers ownership that the franchise didn’t want to take on any more expenses at the NBA trade deadline. With the season looking lost, can things get worse for the team? While .500 is a disappointment for the Lakers, Calvin looks at the Los Angeles Clippers over-performing under Tyron Lue without Paul George or Kawhi Leonard this year and gives him his flowers. In the aftermath of Super Bowl LVI, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay still won’t commit to the team this season, while the Cincinnati Bengals commit to Zac Taylor with a new contract extension. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
After winning the Super Bowl, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay hasn’t decided on his future. Is he really considering a media job, or does he have another motive? As the nation continues to digest the big game, the conversation continues around the impact on the players from the game. The discussion on Matthew Stafford’s Hall of Fame case started on yesterday’s show, but former Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman stoked the flames on the topic nationally. The guys revisit the topic, and the debate gets deeper, claiming the rest of the hour, going beyond just Stafford, but examining small markets versus big markets. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
Hour 1’s Discussion on the discrepancy between big and small markets in the NFL continues, and things even loop back to Matthew Stafford. Another NFC West quarterback is in the headlines as the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray took to social media to respond to the conversation on his relationship with the team. What’s his aim, and does he have any leverage? Speaking of leverage, the MLB and players association are still in a stand-off as pitchers and catchers were supposed to report today, but the lockout rages on. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
Super Bowl LVI had its ups and downs and wasn’t without its controversy. Calvin talks about what stuck out to him from the game, and what it can mean for the teams moving forward. To start the hour, we take a look at the weekend’s happenings in the NBA, including the Spurs’ consecutive wins. One of the weekend’s headlines that flew under the radar was the decision of Auburn University to not fire head coach Bryan Harsin after a mass exodus of players and coaches in his controversial first season with the team. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The Super Bowl conversation continues in Hour 2, looking at the night’s stand-out commercials and eventually working around to a little debate. Is Matthew Stafford now worthy of the Hall of Fame? What more will it take? Another quarterback was part of the chatter this weekend, even though he wasn’t playing. The talk of the Indianapolis Colts moving on from Carson Wentz that we first talked about last month is picking up more steam. Could the team cut him outright? Last week ended with the guys making their predictions on the top prop bets for Super Bowl LVI and take a look at how they fared. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
With the 2022 NBA All-Stars announced, LeBron James and Kevin Durant conducted the player draft Thursday on Inside the NBA. Calvin reacts to the awkward moment when Durant had the pick with just two players left and opted to take Rudy Gobert over James Harden. That, of course, was due to the requested trade of Harden to leave the Brooklyn Nets for the Philadelphia 76ers. The guys look at that and the other moves from yesterday’s trade deadline. Speaking of announcements, the 2022 NFL Hall of Fame class was announced at the NFL Honors awards last night, and Calvin has a problem with one of the selections. This Sunday is the Super Bowl, and there’s a lot of pressure on the Cincinnati Bengals AND the halftime show performers. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
Ahead of the action on the field this weekend at Super Bowl LVI, there’s a lot of action being taken in the desert. With one major game going on, a lot of the money is moving on prop bets - everything from the color of the Gatorade to the score being odd or even. Calvin has a couple of prop bets for the panel for everyone to make their picks before the show is done for the week. You can also bet on the length of the National Anthem, which is the highlight of today’s Black History Fact of the Day as the guys reflect on Whitney Houston 10 years after her death. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
Lots of big names were on the move in the NBA at the trade deadline, including James Harden, Ben Simmons, and Kristaps Porzingis. Locally, the San Antonio Spurs were hyperactive, making a pair of deals that netted the team two more first-round picks in the upcoming draft. Is the right staff in place to execute with the capital? Hour 1 concludes with a quick round of trending sports topics as Calvin looks at the ongoing trial in the death of former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, as well as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s big plans for 2022, before putting the microscope on the IOC and Russia. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The discussion on the Winter Olympics carries over from the end of Hour 1 as Calvin talks about Shaun White’s final run. In the NFL, the league has shared its plans to expand its European footprint to include games in Germany this coming season. Is this the right move for the NFL? Never short of drama, the Washington Commanders are in the headlines again, this time due to a controversial tweet by defensive tackle Jonathan Allen about having dinner with Hitler. The show wraps with the Los Angeles Lakers’ absence from the NBA trade market. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
Right before today’s show, a trade in the NBA came down the wire that involved the San Antonio Spurs, the Portland Trailblazers, and the Utah Jazz. Calvin looks at the move and what it could mean for the big picture. Speaking of NBA trades ahead of the Thursday deadline, Brian Windhorst is reporting serious talks between the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers that would move James Harden to Philly and Ben Simmons to Brooklyn. Stepping away from the NBA, Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins coordinated a call with Tua Tagovailoa in a total PR move. From one young coach/quarterback to another, the conversation moves to the Cincinnati Bengals who play in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
Hour 2 opens with an interview as Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer joins the show live from radio row at the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Staying in the NFL, commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to the media in his State of the League address at the Super Bowl, and opened up about the NFL’s approach to the investigations into the Washington Commanders. Is it really going to change things? Before the show wraps for the day, the guys look at recent Rodeo Road Trips for the San Antonio Spurs as the silver and black prepare to hit the road for the next eight games. Can they turn the tide? Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The news broke yesterday in Hour 2 that the Houston Texans were finalizing a deal to make Lovie Smith their next head coach. After having a day to let it sink in, Calvin’s got the McNairs’ intentions figured out. Two days away from the NBA Trade Deadline, player movement is picking up, and CJ McCollum was the headline name moved today. Finally, it’s hardly a Super Bowl week if Tom Brady’s name isn’t mentioned, and the GOAT made sure he was part of the news cycle Monday when he hinted that he hasn’t entirely ruled out returning to the NFL in the future. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The Los Angeles Rams are back in the Super Bowl, and we’re glad to welcome back Jim Alexander of the Los Angeles Daily News to preview the storylines surrounding the team. While Calvin may feel that the Rams’ title window is tight, Jim isn’t as worried. The guys recap the rest of the NBA headlines from last night’s action and dive a little more into the McCollum move. The show wraps with further discussion of Kyler Murray’s Instagram behavior after the quarterback has been silent since removing photos of the Arizona Cardinals from his feed and unfollowing them on Monday. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The show starts out with a business update regarding The Sports Grind, but we keep trucking along. From Pop’s record-setting win to the Brooklyn Nets' grip on James Harden, and the Dallas Mavericks’ defense, there’s a lot going on in the NBA. Before the hour is out, Calvin looks at the waste of time that the NFL Pro Bowl is, as well as the Las Vegas dilemma for young athletes. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
A few more head coaching spots got filled over the weekend, and during the show today, the Houston Texans hire Lovie Smith for their vacancy. That adds another minority head coaching hire in the aftermath of the Brian Flores lawsuit coming down. Was the hire for the right reasons, and does that matter? San Antonio’s own Mario Barrios had a big fight on Saturday night but came up short in his welterweight debut. What does he need to do to contend again? That and listener phone calls all in Hour 2. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The reserves for the 2022 NBA All-Star team have been announced, and Dejounte Murray didn’t make the cut. Calvin looks at who else got snubbed and the process for selecting the players. In the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Doug Pederson - Was it the right hire? We also get to the Black History fact of the day and dive into the latest on the corruption updates from the NFL with both the Washington Commanders and Brian Flores’ Lawsuit. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
The discussion on the latest corruption accusations from inside the NFL continues as some callers chime in as well. As the national conversation wages on, more and more unintentional intentions of the Rooney Rule are coming to light. What can be done? Before the show wraps up for the week, Calvin catches up on some college football coaching headlines and quickly touches on Phil Mickelson’s PGA comments. Music provided by Ticket 760 and AM 1300 The Zone.
