Becker Business Podcast

Episode: Sports Talk and Insights with David Pivnick of McGuireWoods LLP

Host: Scott Becker
Guest: David Pivnick
Date: October 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this refreshingly offbeat edition of the Becker Business Podcast, Scott Becker welcomes legal leader and fervent sports fan David Pivnick for an all-sports discussion—a change of pace from the usual business content. Together, they dive into baseball playoffs drama, dissect struggles and storylines of beloved NFL and NHL teams, debate notorious officiating issues, and share candid takes on the Chicago, Dallas, and Toronto sports landscapes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Baseball Playoffs: Heartbreak & Hope

• Pivnick’s Passionate Pull: David reveals his deep attachment to the Toronto Blue Jays (despite Scott’s gentle ribbing about American apathy), alongside a lighter rooting interest in the Milwaukee Brewers and his loyalty to the Cubs.
  • “Was very optimistic about the Jays up until about three nights ago. Less optimistic right now…” (00:46, David)
• Blue Jays’ Odds:
  • Historic context: Only seven MLB teams have ever come back from an 0-2 deficit in a championship series, and none when both losses were at home.
  • But, with veteran pitchers like Bieber and Scherzer, David still sees a slim path to a comeback in Seattle if momentum swings.
  • "The bats were completely silent in the first two games… but I’m hoping [our veterans] can put it together and give us a chance...” (02:15, David)
• Good-Natured Chicago-Toronto Banter:
  • Scott teases about Blue Jays’ irrelevance in the U.S., prompting David to clap back about the Cubs’ and Bears’ long championship droughts.
    • “On the 100 years comment, just the absolute height of irony coming from a Cubs and Bears fan…” (02:44, David)
• Perspective on Recent History:
  • Cubs’ 2016 World Series and Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl wins mark some reliefs from long droughts, but David notes, “they do have that one title in the last 110 years.” (03:43, David)

2. (Mis)Adventures in Officiating: Umpires Under Fire

• The State of Umpiring:

  • David launches into an emphatic critique of MLB umpiring, recounting Doug Eddings’ disastrous performance (over 20 missed calls in a single night) and advocating for automated strike zones.

    “It’s embarrassing for sports at this level… we have the technology to get it right, and it's all the more infuriating when we have to watch umpires act like they’re the ball game… Robot umpires on balls and strikes can’t come quickly enough.”
    (05:45, David)

  • He laments officiating grandstanding, noting Eddings’ odd habit of throwing the ball to the pitcher: “I assume even if his wife, if he has one, is there, she doesn't care to watch him throw the ball to the pitcher, like call the balls and strikes, do a better job of that and be invisible.” (06:43, David)

3. NFL Insights: Cowboys, Bears, Packers & Lions

• Dallas Cowboys:
  • David’s assessment is blunt: exciting offense, woeful defense.
    • “The defense is just bad. There’s no excuse for it. It’s just bad.” (08:32, David)
  • Injuries and lackluster cornerback play have deepened the woes, while Dak Prescott’s performance stands as a rare bright spot:
    • “Dak looks terrific...By the time he retires...he’ll hold every single major Cowboys passing record.” (09:32, David)
• The Micah Parsons Trade:
  • David supports the move, saying financial flexibility and draft capital outweigh the loss, especially since the defense was broken anyway:
    • “With Micah Parsons, the defense would also be just bad...We’re not paying Micah $47 million a year...which I just think is an overpay.” (10:42, David)
• NFC North Breakdown:
  • Bears: “I actually have some optimism in the Bears...” (04:19, David) and “I think the Bears are better than people give them credit for being.” (12:17, David)
  • Lions: Offense called a “juggernaut,” still seen as the class of the division despite some defensive limitations.
  • Packers: Good but “defense is beatable,” and David is skeptical about Jordan Love’s ceiling as a QB:
    • “I don’t think Jordan Love is as good as many Packers fans seem to think. He’s fine. I don’t think he’s a bad quarterback, but I just think he’s fine.” (12:57, David)
  • Vikings: “Just not that good” this year.

4. Hockey: Blackhawks’ New Attitude and Youth Movement

• Chicago Blackhawks:

  • David finds optimism in the team’s commitment and effort, calling out improved competitiveness—a shift from recent years.

    “They’re competing and playing hard for 60 minutes of every game, making the other team work. That’s an embarrassingly low threshold… but they weren’t getting to that level over the last couple years.”
    (14:05, David)

  • Individual standouts:

    • Connor Bedard is “faster… more physical… mixing it up.”
    • Frank Nazar praised as an “absolute stud.”
    • Young talent, especially on defense (“Sam Rosella, Renzel and Alex Vlasic… are both terrific”), points to a bright future even if the playoffs remain out of reach this year.

  • “I don’t think this is a playoff year, but I don’t think this is going to be a bottom of the league year either… if guys like Lev Shinov can develop, I mean he’s had a rough start… the future is very bright.” (15:05-15:30, David)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Baseball Humor and Rivalry:

  • Scott: “I know that nobody in America cares, at least for 100 years, what happens with the Blue Jays.” (01:39, Scott)
  • David, retorting: “Just the absolute height of irony coming from a Cubs and Bears fan…” (02:44, David)

• On Officiating:

  • David: “Robot umpires on balls and strikes can’t come quickly enough. They need to get the calls right. It's embarrassing for sports at this level…” (06:00, David)

• On the Cowboys’ Defense:

  • David: “People blaming that on the Micah Parsons trade…are missing the mark…with Micah Parsons, the defense would also be just bad.” (08:49, David)

• On Blackhawks’ Progress:

  • David: “Bedard looks great…Frank Nazar is an absolute stud…I think it’s a very bright future for the Blackhawks.” (14:50, David)
  • “I think they’d have a real chance at the playoffs next year and…they could be a contender in the not-so-distant future.” (15:36, David)

Time-Stamped Highlights

• 00:42 – David’s current sports focus: Blue Jays’ postseason fortunes and mixed feelings as a Brewers/Cubs fan
• 02:15 – Historic context on Blue Jays’ comeback odds
• 03:40 – Chicago-Toronto sports drought banter
• 05:10–07:30 – Rant on major league umpiring and why MLB needs automated strike zones
• 07:52 – Cowboys’ disappointing defense and player performances
• 09:32 – Dak Prescott’s place in Cowboys history
• 10:23 – The Micah Parsons trade, salary cap, and looking forward
• 12:07 – Analysis of NFC North teams and playoff chances
• 13:57 – Chicago Blackhawks’ youth, effort, and reasons for optimism

Tone & Style

The conversation is brisk, witty, and grounded in fandom as well as analysis. David’s passionate, often humorous takes (“I assume even if his wife, if he has one, is there, she doesn’t care to watch him throw the ball to the pitcher…”) blend seamlessly with Scott’s playful jabs and honest queries, making the episode engaging for diehard sports fans and casual listeners alike.

Conclusion

This episode delivers spirited, informed commentary on current sports headlines, from the heartbreak of playoff baseball to hopes for hockey’s next generation, all peppered with sharp banter and clear-eyed analysis. David Pivnick’s wide-ranging expertise, coupled with Scott Becker’s good-natured hosting, makes for an entertaining, insightful listen that manages to cover a year’s worth of sports bar debates—all in under 20 minutes.