Transcript

Ad (0:00)

K Pop Demon Hunters, Saja Boy's Breakfast Meal and Hunt Tricks meal have just dropped at McDonald's. They're calling this a battle for the fans.

Myron Metcalf (0:07)

What do you say to that, Rumi?

Ad (0:09)

It's not a battle. So glad the Saja Boys could take breakfast and give our meal the rest of the day.

Matt Jones (0:14)

It is an honor to share.

Ad (0:16)

No, it's our honor.

Matt Jones (0:17)

It is our larger honor.

Myron Metcalf (0:19)

No, really, stop.

Ad (0:21)

You can really feel the respect in this battle. Pick a meal to pick a side.

Myron Metcalf (0:26)

Ba da ba ba ba.

Matt Jones (0:28)

And participate in McDonald's while supplies last.

Myron Metcalf (0:31)

This is Matt and Myron, the podcast.

Matt Jones (0:34)

It is Matt Myron here on ESPN Radio Sunday morning presented by Progressive Insurance. I'm Matt Jones. After a three week hiatus, which made a lot of sense since Myron Metcalf is the college basketball reporter, it would make sense that he would miss this show about college basketball for three weeks. But he's back now. And Myron, I hope you enjoyed the Final Four and all of your travels around the college baske.

Myron Metcalf (1:02)

Yeah, it was, it was wild, man. I mean, 16 days in a row on, on the road straight three cities. So it was, it was cool, man, but also glad to be back home.

Matt Jones (1:10)

Yeah, you got to be Ms. Jim Calhoun was here. We got to hear that really thick Connecticut accent on the radio. He and I had a hard time. We, I don't think we understood each other. We needed a translator, but, but he was good. And now we're here. And today we have sports broadcasting royalty joining us. Rich Eisen is going to join us later. I'm very excited. I've never, I've never really spoken to Rich Eisen and I'm, you know, he said, allegedly a co worker. So I'm kind of excited.

Myron Metcalf (1:41)

I'm excited. I mean, I don't think I've met Rich Eisen. I'm trying to think if he was, is here. When I was here back in 2011,

Summary

Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron

Episode: Hour 1: Bobblehead Night

Date: April 12, 2026
Hosts: Myron Medcalf, Matt Jones (ESPN Radio)

Episode Overview

Hour 1 of “Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron” covers the lively intersection of spring sports – from the Masters to NBA/NHL playoff pushes, NCAA tournament recaps, and the beloved—and sometimes controversial—tradition of sports bobblehead promotions. The hosts debate which athletes are truly “bobblehead-worthy,” and sprinkle in banter about college basketball’s transfer portal chaos, the quirks of UFC, and Myron’s unexpected passion for bingo. Notable quotes and recurring playful jabs make this a breezy, engaging episode for any sports fan grappling with April’s calendar overload.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Busiest Time in Sports

[02:22] Matt Jones notes that this time of year combines high-stakes moments in multiple sports:
- Masters Sunday
- NBA regular season finale (and tanking controversies)
- NHL playoff set-up
- NCAA basketball wrap-up
- NFL draft looming
- College football spring practice
- College basketball transfer portal frenzy
- Ongoing UFC cards
Quote: “You can make a strong argument that right now … is maybe the busiest time in sports of the year, because there are more different sports at key, key moments of their existence than now.” – Matt Jones [02:23]

2. Masters Sunday & The Rory McIlroy Discourse

Rory McIlroy enters Masters Sunday tied for the lead—after squandering a six-shot advantage.
[03:00-06:31] Friendly Debate: Myron is skeptical of Rory's mindset, Matt defends him.
- Myron (jokingly) accused of wanting to see Rory fail.
- Matt emphasizes Rory's career achievements and potential for a comeback.
Key Quotes:
- “Don’t use the word like fetish. First off. Don’t. Don’t use that word.” — Myron Medcalf [03:29]
- “If you had asked Roy McIlroy going into the tournament, would you like to be tied for the lead going into the final day, he probably would have said yes. But if you had asked him after round two, he would go, that's probably a failure.” – Matt Jones [15:31]
- On Rory’s mindset and nerves (citing Rory’s own words):
  “He said, if you come out here and, quote, ‘you're not feeling it, the course will punish you’ … This is a guy who was haunted by these demons.” – Myron Metcalf [16:28]
- “He needs to be daring, he needs to be flamboyant, and he needs to use his sword, which in this case is his golf club, to go out and play.” – Matt Jones, making a pirate analogy for Rory’s style [19:25]

3. NBA Regular Season Wrap-Up & Tanking Talk

[03:54] NBA End of Regular Season:
- Matt: "The regular season has been a miserable slog these last six weeks." [04:19]
- Myron: Defends teams “tanking” as a legitimate strategy. “I'm pro Tank.” [04:27]
- Result: Playoffs bring renewed excitement, especially for rising talents (“Wimby, Yic, Shay”).
- Debate over whether tanking ruins the product for fans.

4. NCAA Tournament, Transfer Portal, and Player Mobility

Tournament Recap: “Really, really good tournament. Final Four, not as great as past Final Fours, but I think the overall tournament was great.” – Myron [06:51]
- Three iconic moments highlighted: Braylon Mullins’ buzzer beater, Otega's Kentucky shot, St. John’s layup.
Transfer Portal Chaos: Over half of returning eligible college basketball players are in the portal (2,050 out of 3,900).
- Myron: Only “50 to 75 of those guys actually matter.” [08:22]
- Matt: “I enjoy it, but I kind of enjoy chaos.” [08:50]
- Banter about how fun it could be to attend four different colleges.
Quote: “The cool thing is, once you’re done with college, you can pick to stay affiliated with the school that you like the most.” – Myron [09:32]

5. UFC & Sports Entertainment

Running joke: UFC events seem to have never-ending numbered cards with “random numbers.”
- “I think [they’re] going to do it forever.” – Myron [10:27]
Josh Hokut, a fighter, did full cosplay as Macho Man Randy Savage during media week—confusing most journalists.
- “He wouldn't come out of character ... what do you call it, K. Fob?” – Myron [11:38]
- Matt: “K5 is what you have on your car so you can open your garage.” [11:48]
Carlos Ulberg won his fight, possibly with a torn ACL. [12:07]

6. The Bobblehead Conundrum

The Bobblehead Debacle in Cincinnati

The Reds had to give out a player's bobblehead after he’d already been sent to the minors [25:31].
- This year’s candidate only stayed on the team through his bobblehead day, likely for PR reasons.
Would you rather:
- Stay on the roster for bobblehead night (knowing a demotion is coming)?
- Or get demoted in time and miss the honor?
- Myron: “I'd rather be the guy on the roster when the bobblehead day happens.” [26:26]
- Matt: “Can you think about what that would be like if you're in the minor leagues and at the majors level, they're celebrating your bobblehead and you don't even get ... He can't even go.” [27:03]

Who is Truly Bobblehead-Worthy?

Myron’s Claim: “No team in pro sports has more than two athletes worthy of a bobblehead.” [27:33]
Matt challenges this with examples across sports:
- LeBron/Luka/Austin Reeves (NBA) – Myron: “Ain’t nobody getting the Austin Reeves bobblehead.” [28:12]
- Mahomes/Kelsey/Chris Jones (NFL) – “I don't want a Chris Jones bobblehead.” [29:15]
- Shohei/Freddie Freeman/Mookie Betts (MLB) – “The only Dodgers bobblehead that should be given out is Shohei pitching. Shohei batting.” [29:58]
Audience weighs in with calls & texts:
- Jordan/Pippen/Rodman (Bulls) is the first “slam dunk” for three bobbleheads—but even here, Myron jokes about snubbing Pippen for being “the most annoying former player in NBA history.” [34:13]
- Worthy/Kareem/Magic (Lakers) – Worthy left out.
- Bird/McHale/Parish (Celtics) – Myron: Parish has to wait.
- Chiefs, Dodgers, Braves, various “big three” trios discussed (callers’ region bias often acknowledged).
Matt’s final challenge: “No one has yet given me a slam dunk,” though some historic trios come close. [35:46]

7. Myron’s Surprising Bingo Obsession

Matt teases Myron for missing a work call because he was out at “pull tab and bingo night.”
- Myron: “I now have my own dauber.” [42:02]
- “I don't want to be in a bingo hall that doesn't have mostly people over the age of 65. Like, that's my crowd.” [42:04]
- Matt: “You play pool tabs and bingo like a 74-year-old retiree at the Villages in Florida.” [41:22]
Myron defends the nuanced strategy of bingo, and listeners chime in to share their own experiences.

Most Notable Quotes & Moments

“Mine likes ... to watch a grown man be sad and choke, and he wants to watch bad teams not try to win." – Matt [05:48]
“I think we give bobblehead people too much power. They've just kind of taken over.” – Myron [27:33]
“Christ Jones, first off, the bobblehead's gonna weigh three and a half pounds.” – Myron [29:15]
“If there were bobbleheads in 1998, there's no way there would not be a Jordan, a Pippen and a Rodman.” – Matt [34:09]
“I now have my own dauber.” – Myron, revealing his level of bingo seriousness [42:02]
“If you can't win every time, you don't mess with it. That's your, that's your whole thing.” – Myron teasing Matt’s competitive streak [42:37]
“Bingo’s intense, man. Have you played bingo?” – Myron [42:25]

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:34: Show return from hiatus; Rich Eisen teases upcoming interview
02:22–10:43: “Off the Top” – Masters, NBA, NCAA, NFL draft, portal, UFC
15:21–22:42: Masters Leaderboard & Rory McIlroy's psychology (and swashbuckling analogy)
25:31–35:59: Cincinnati Reds bobblehead fiasco and the “bobblehead-worthy” debate
36:41–44:44: Listener calls: Best bobblehead trios in history and present
41:10–43:39: Myron’s bingo obsession revealed and discussed
38:53 & 39:37: Historic bobblehead trios (listeners and hosts debate)
44:44–end: More calls, wrap-up, and closing banter

Episode Tone and Flavor

Tone: Playful, irreverent, and affectionate sports banter
Myron and Matt frequently rib each other, spar over arcane sports minutiae, and engage listeners with relatable, lighthearted stories (like the bingo tangent).
The show exemplifies “Sunday sports radio as community hangout” – smart but never stuffy; passionate but never mean.

For Non-Listeners

If you missed the show, you’ll walk away understanding why April is sports super-peak—and whether your favorite athlete (or coach, or city's obscure backup player) is truly bobblehead material. You’ll hear about the Masters’ fake bird sounds, why some NBA regular season games are unwatchable, how bingo can be as intense as pro sports, and enjoy a running tally of which sports trios stand the test of sporting—and bobblehead—immortality.

End of Hour 1 Summary