The Right Time with Bomani Jones: Shedeur Sanders' Debut Reaction, Ranking LeBron James & Tom Brady (08.11.25)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Bomani Jones and crew break down Shedeur Sanders' NFL preseason debut, dissect the hype and narratives surrounding it, and humorously push back against wild overreactions online. The show then launches into the highly anticipated conclusion of their “Top 25 Athletes of the Last 25 Years” list, with detailed discussions on what sets icons like Simone Biles, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and Usain Bolt apart. Along the way, the team delivers memorable stories, sharp analysis, and plenty of laughs about sports culture and the way we talk about greatness.

Shedeur Sanders’ Preseason Debut: Hype vs. Reality

[01:46—15:54]

• Context of the Hype
  • Bomani reflects on the madness around NFL preseason games, noting how confirmation bias runs rampant. He laughs at how every fan finds a way to validate their beliefs, no matter what actually happens.
  • Bomani:

    “Preseason games are for everybody’s favorite: confirmation bias.” (03:54)

  • Ryan touches on avoiding Twitter to protect his sanity:

    “I’m already pretty aware of how stupid I am. I don’t need as many reminders... I don’t feel like this is good for me at this point in time.” (01:51)

• Shedeur’s Performance: Two touchdowns for the Browns in a preseason game— but Bomani emphasizes how little this actually tells us.
  • Bomani:

    “It was six yards per attempt, which is utterly unnoteworthy. But preseason games are weird, right?” (03:03)

• Internet Reaction and Nike Hype
  • Bomani’s incredulous at the online narrative that Shedeur is “set up to fail” or evidence of “collusion by the man.”
  • Nike quickly launching an ad behind Shedeur draws laughs and skepticism:

    “How you getting Nike ads and you’re not even a starter?... Where your daddy at? Like you’re spending all this goddamn money on these watches and you ain’t even wearing it right?” (09:09)

• Evaluating Shedeur’s NFL Chances
  • Bomani remains skeptical but measured:

    “I am skeptical of how good he can be in the NFL. I think there is data that indicates that he is not an NFL quarterback... But being good enough to play in the NFL and being good enough to be on an NFL team, those are two different things.” (06:15, 06:33)

  • Compares the Browns’ messy QB situation and jokes about journeyman Kenny Pickett, old Joe Flacco, and others:

    “Kenny Pickett is a journeyman in year four!” (07:28)

• Confirmation Bias and the “Tebow Cult” Parallel
  • Bomani notes the Shedeur hype resembles Tebow Mania, but stresses Shedeur is not Tebow-bad:

    “If Shedeur Sanders were to play in the NFL this season, I do not think that he would be the worst quarterback that I have ever seen... because that is the worst quarterback that I have ever seen play NFL football.” (12:33)

  • Hilarious musing about the power of prayer and Tebow’s magical comeback:

    “I don’t know if anyone has ever been as prayed up as Tim Tebow was for that run, ever.” (13:16)

• Bomani’s Plea to Fans
  • Urges fans not to overreact in August, since the Browns’ QB situation will provide everyone a chance to be “right” soon enough:

    “Save your energy. You can’t already be fighting like this in August. You’re going to be out of breath by week two.” (15:17)

“Old Timers” Game and the Perils of Nostalgia

[17:44—26:08]

• Mariano Rivera’s Achilles Tear at Yankees Old Timers Day
  • Bomani and Ryan can’t help but laugh— not at Rivera’s injury, but at how wild and risky these Old Timer games are.
  • Bomani:

    “How you gonna get hurt in an Old Timers baseball game? That’s what I was trying to figure out.” (18:39)

• Why NBA Stopped Old Timers Games
  • Tells the story of 1993’s NBA Old Timers game that led to catastrophic injuries (David Thompson, Norm Nixon), explaining why the league doesn’t do it anymore:

    “They were carrying dudes off the floor... We can’t do this anymore.” (21:17)

• Legendary Alabama Football Alumni Game
  • Recounts the 1985 Alabama Spring Game: a tackle football clash between college kids and a motley alumni team, including players from the 1940s and legends like Kenny Stabler lining up against Cornelius Bennett.

    “...they played a game of tackle football...There was a player on that alumni team who played for Alabama in 1942.” (24:31)

The Top 25 Athletes of the Last 25 Years: The Top Five

[27:33—59:38]

#5 – Simone Biles

[29:03—33:55]

• Bomani lauds Biles’ physical dominance and all-around ability, stressing how the gap between her and #2 is almost unparalleled:
  • “The gap between her and number two is as big...as there is between number one and number two of anybody on this list...” (29:03)
• Discussion of how Biles revolutionized what’s possible in gymnastics and has enjoyed an unprecedented two-peak career, stretching from 2016 through 2024—possibly even aiming for 2028.
  • “She out here doing stuff that they can’t do. Hard stop, right?” (31:11)

#4 – Tom Brady

[34:09—41:08]

• Explores Brady’s mixture of staggering longevity, “luck,” and dogged execution. The Patriots’ many close Super Bowl wins, his almost unemotional excellence, and success with two franchises.
  • “Tom Brady is not here because of traits. He’s here because of execution...I just can’t think of anybody at any sport who was that good at simply executing.” (38:17, 39:08)
• On Brady’s career arc:
  • “The best version of Tom Brady never won a Super Bowl.” (37:07)
• Panels cracks up about Brady’s “four first names” and his Social Security card size.
  • “How big is your Social Security card? Is that like this so that you can get everything like one of those big checks?” (34:37)

#3 – LeBron James

[41:17—46:50]

• Celebrates LeBron’s unmatched hype as a high schooler, his immediate impact, and surpassing even wildest expectations.
  • “LeBron did more than anybody could have ever possibly asked for him to do as an NBA player. Right?” (44:08)
• Explores his triple-Finals MVP feat on three teams, all-time scoring record, ambassadorial role, and the pitfalls of endless GOAT debates.
  • “We are lucky to have him here. And he’s number three on this list. Which is an incredibly prestigious honor.” (46:47, 46:51)

#2 – Tiger Woods

[47:05—54:12]

• Argues Tiger’s sheer dominance and the “gap” he created over his peers made him a sport-defining legend.
  • “The gap between Tiger Woods and everybody else in his sport was so vast and so great that I cannot ignore.” (47:56)
• Tiger forced Augusta to literally redesign the Masters course just to slow him, with Bomani connecting this to broader “trying to hold him down” metaphors:
  • “The man tried to hold Tiger Woods down so bad at Augusta that it is unforgettable to me.” (49:21)
• His wins on “broken legs,” signature “Tiger Slam,” and his universal cultural resonance as must-see TV—“kids, old folks, gangsters and the thugs all on board with that.” (52:33)

#1 – Usain Bolt

[54:23—58:46]

• Bomani:

  “The man has had the world record for the 100 meters since the year 2008... I contend being the best runner of the 100 meters makes you the king of all things.” (54:44, 56:25)

• Lists the astonishing durability of Bolt’s records and the universality of sprinting—“that’s the thing that everybody has done.” (56:38)
• Panel points out how Bolt’s dominance at three Olympics, and his global icon status in arguably the most accessible event in all of sports, sets him apart:
  • “He’s not just the king of the race running. It was incredible to watch him run the race.” (56:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Confirmation Bias in Sports
  • “If you think somebody is good and they play well in a preseason game, boom. You have a measure of verification. If you think somebody is going to be bad and they played well in a preseason game. It's only a preseason game. And the converse also holds up.” (03:59)
• On Comparing Shedeur to Tebow
  • “Don’t do that to Shadur. That’s not—he didn’t earn that.” (12:57)
• On Tom Brady’s Execution
  • “What’s it like to go in the backyard and pretend to be Tom Brady? You stand real still and be unafraid of somebody hitting you.” (39:08)
• On the LeBron vs. Jordan Debate
  • “We have done all of ourselves a great disservice by locking in so much on the arguments about the best two players of all time. Because again, it requires you to find ways to diminish somebody as good as him.” (46:01)
• On Usain Bolt and Universality
  • “Everybody has run a race at some point, and he is not just the king of the race running. It was incredible to watch him run the race.” (56:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Shedeur Sanders preseason overreactions: 01:46–15:54
• Old Timers Day injuries/NBA storytime: 17:44–26:08
• Top 25 athletes countdown (Top 5): 27:33–58:46
  • Simone Biles: 29:03
  • Tom Brady: 34:09
  • LeBron James: 41:17
  • Tiger Woods: 47:05
  • Usain Bolt: 54:23

Episode Tone and Style

True to Bomani’s voice, the episode is equal parts analytically sharp and irreverently funny, mixing robust sports analysis with pop culture savvy and a gift for storytelling. Regular collaborators toss in one-liners and participate in in-depth debates, making this episode both insightful and thoroughly entertaining—essential listening for anyone interested in sports culture, bias, and what greatness really means.