Podcast Summary: "Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron" – Hour 1: Superstitions

Date: March 22, 2026
Hosts: Matt Jones & Myron Medcalf (with guest appearances from Tom Crane & callers)
Network: ESPN Radio

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into sports superstitions and the high-wire nerves fans—and even some sports professionals—experience during big games, especially in the NCAA tournament. Matt candidly shares his own extreme rituals as a Kentucky fan, sparking a wider conversation about fan anxiety, coping mechanisms, and the intersection of sports, superstition, and identity.
The show is a blend of lively banter, personal stories, listener calls, and expert insight into March Madness narratives—skipping the superficial to celebrate the heart and hilarity of sports fandom.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. NCAA Tournament Weekend Reactions

• Early Tournament Drama:

  • Duke’s nail-biter against Siena, High Point’s upset, Miami of Ohio’s thrilling win, and Vanderbilt’s near-miracle half-court shot are highlighted as top moments.
  • [01:28] Matt: “But the storyline...has to be the Kentucky Santa Clara leading to the away half court shot win.”

• Kentucky’s Miraculous Win Over Santa Clara:

  • Myron’s take: The arena erupted in disbelief when Santa Clara appeared to win, but Kentucky’s OA (pronounced "O-A") hit a miraculous shot, which Matt calls “one of the three or four most miraculous shots I’ve ever seen in college basketball.” [02:15]
  • Matt sheepishly admits he wasn’t in the building for the magic moment due to nerves, launching the episode’s superstition theme.

2. Matt’s Fan Superstitions: "The Art of Avoidance"

• Leaving the Stadium:

  • Matt explains he's left the arena during every iconic Kentucky moment for 20 years, preferring to pace nervously in solitude:

    “I left the building for all of them....I was sitting on a park bench by myself...watching me pace back and forth and watch the game on my phone.” — Matt [03:14]

  • He recounts running back and forth between a pizza place and a park for good luck depending on the game’s momentum.

    “As soon as I got to the park, we took the lead...it was clear the mojo of the game was in the park.” — Matt [06:13]

• The Superstition Escalator:

  • When Kentucky struggled during their 40-0 run, Matt would hide in the shower, feeling it helped the team win:

    “I would get in the shower until my skin started to prune, because that was the only way I could seem to get Kentucky to keep winning.” — Matt [08:04]

• Regrets and Reality:

  • Myron asks if Matt regrets missing the biggest moments:

    “If I had been there when Santa Clara made the shot, the tension...might have...led me to a heart attack.” — Matt [08:18]

  • Myron draws parallels to other sports figures’ rituals, like Coco Gauff’s dad, noting, “It’s fascinating, because...there are people like that...” [04:54]

3. Fan Engagement: Listeners’ Superstitions & Rituals

• Listener Stories:

  • Andrew in NC: His neighbor paces in the yard with doors and windows open, even in freezing weather, to avoid breaking TVs.

    “He had broken so many TVs...pacing in his front yard with his windows open, listening to the game.” — Andrew [17:43]

  • Moody in Arkansas: Turns games off when he senses bad luck, depending on notifications for results—even for regular season NBA games.

  • David in Indy: In high-pressure moments, David distracts himself with video games, checking the ESPN app for updates instead of watching live.

    “Turned my Xbox on, started playing Madden...turned it on just in time to see Chris Bryant field that grounder...” — David [20:05]

  • Texts and Calls:

    • One fan left the Super Bowl because the nerves were too much, finishing the game at a sports bar.
    • Another caller shared the family tradition of betting on the opposing team at live games for “Sports Gods” luck, even if it meant losing money.

• Myron’s Reflection:

  • Observes that only fans of good teams have “fan privilege” and can afford such rituals—“No one is leaving the arena with bad teams...”

4. Superstitions Contextualized: “We Are the True Fans”

• Broader Theme:
  • Matt argues that the truly invested fans are the ones who feel compelled to remove themselves for the team’s (and their own) survival.
  • The show rallies around the concept that, while excessive, these rituals are born from genuine passion and heartbreak risk.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kentucky Fandom:

  “Listen, I consider myself to be a reasonable man…but when it comes to Kentucky playing specifically in the NCAA tournament, that means much more…The tension does something to me that…would put me in a hospital.” — Matt [04:06]

• On the Burden of Waiting:

  “As the great Tom Petty once said, the waiting is the hardest part.” — Matt [04:43]

• On Listener Superstitions:

  “None of y’all sound happy, by the way…None of y’all sound really happy.” — Myron [19:49]

• On Super Bowl Nerves:

  “One person said…they left [the Super Bowl] because [they] couldn’t handle it anymore and…watched it in a sports bar across the street. That’s tough. Super Bowl is expensive.” — Matt [23:10]

• On True Fandom vs. Detachment:

  “We are the true fans…James and I and you all…We understand what it’s like to have it affect your life.” — Matt [45:14]

Sports Analysis Highlights & Tournament Notes

5. NCAA Tournament Moments & Controversies

• Best Shots in NCAA History:

  • Hosts debate the order: Christian Laettner’s shot is #1; Jalen Suggs’ for Gonzaga contends for #2 alongside Chris Jenkins’ title-winner.
  • Matt cheerfully notes that Kentucky’s OA is already benefiting:

    “He’s already gotten two NIL deals…Buffalo Wild Wings and Turbo Tax have both given him NIL deals in a day.” — Matt [11:13]

• Timeout Controversy in Kentucky-Santa Clara:

  • Discussion whether Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek was unfairly denied a timeout:

    “There’s literally a split second when that timeout can happen...that’s not why they lost. I think you got to foul up three in that situation.” — Myron [13:39]

• Refereeing and NCAA Gameplay Oddities:

  • Conversation about whether Duke still gets favorable calls ("Drawing fouls is an art and I think Duke is good at it," — Myron [14:21]).
  • Oddities of inflation in NCAA basketballs and the home team’s ability to choose ball types sparks laughter and incredulity.

• Coaches’ Tournament Style – Ugly Sweater Watch:

  • Discussion of the Queens NC coach’s “hideous” green sweater—“it looks like vomit” [16:27]—launches banter about coaches’ wardrobe quirks on the national stage.

Expert Segment: Tom Crane Weighs In

[24:01–33:36]

• Kentucky–Santa Clara Deep Dive:
  • Praises Santa Clara’s talent and Kentucky’s ability to “survive”—ties into broader trend of mid-majors having big budgets and less “Cinderella” factor in the NIL era.
• Late-Game Strategy:
  • Coaches’ dilemma over fouling up three points:

    “Whatever you decide to do, you have to practice it a lot…the danger…is the continuation. You have to be so well versed…” — Tom Crane [25:48]

• Previewing Key Matchups:
  • St. John’s vs. Kansas: St. John’s defense is a wildcard if officiating is consistent.
  • Iowa State, short-handed without Joshua Jefferson, will give Kentucky a unique look, but the guard matchup may be the decider.
• Expert Picks:
  • If forced to pick a likely one-seed upset, Tom (reluctantly) picks Arizona vs. Utah State for the upset factor. [33:13]

Lighter Moments & Tournament Culture

6. Favorite Tournament Moments & Anecdotes

[35:54–41:06]

• Matt recalls games that encapsulated the spirit of the tourney, such as Miami of Ohio’s wild play and the infectious energy of High Point’s student announcers.
• Myron and Matt reflect on encounters with basketball giants Shaquille O’Neal and Olivier Rioux (“7’9” guy at EDM fests!”).
• Amusing sideline prayer—Prairie View A&M’s coach praying for divine intervention in a blowout is a highlight.

  “One thing Black folks gonna do is pray.” — Myron [38:05]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:28] NCAA Tournament standouts and the Kentucky–Santa Clara setup
• [02:15–08:54] Matt’s superstitions and the psychology of “waiting”
• [13:06–16:27] Listener stories, coach fashion faux pas, fan superstitions
• [24:01–33:36] Tom Crane on late-game fouling & expert analysis
• [35:54–41:06] Favorite tournament moments, laughs about player size, and fan rituals

Final Thoughts

This episode artfully balances sport analysis and the emotional reality of fandom, celebrating the wide array of ways people try to control luck, destiny, and their own blood pressure. If you’ve ever needed to walk away from a TV, hide in the shower, or leave a stadium when the stakes are high, you’ll feel understood (and maybe a bit validated) by Matt, Myron, and the callers.

As Matt sums it up:

“We are the true fans...We understand what it’s like to have it affect your life.” [45:14]

For basketball fans and sports obsessives alike, this episode is equal parts hilarious group therapy, tournament recap, and celebration of rituals that make March Madness truly mad.