Podcast
Tradition's Finest Podcast
Hosted by JD & Spencer · EN
The Tradition's Finest Podcast consists of JD & Spencer, two long-time friends and very passionate sports fans, who are from the South. A couple guys who discuss the pertinent stories in the Sports world, and deliver their subjective reactions from a mostly unbiased fan's perspective with our individual humor intertwined into each storyline. They also discuss life from a point of view of two regular guys who happen to love sports and bitching about life, and occassionally stay on topic at hand, while attempting to cover the most relevant storylines.
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- JD & Spencer
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Tradition's Finest Episode 135 - "The Big Hurt Episode"
2w ago01:26:45Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 135 - "The Big Hurt Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: "Basket Weaving 101:" Some SEC football coaches aren't waiting for next season's kickoff to get after each other: One day after LSU HC Lane Kiffin's controversial comments concerning Ole Miss, Texas HC Steve Sarkisian made the following statement to USA Today: "At Texas, we will only take 50% of a player's academic credit hours. You may be a semester from graduating, but you're going all the way back to 50% if you play here and want a degree. But at Ole Miss, they can take you. All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree." - - A University of Texas athletic department spokesperson told ESPN on Tuesday that Sarkisian's comments were part of a larger conversation about tampering and [that] he was stressing the importance of academics at the University - - Shortly afterwards, first-year Florida HC Jon Sumrall, a former assistant at Ole Miss, added to the fray later Tuesday afternoon with a jab at Sarkisian via social media: "Grateful to coach at a top 10 public university that also offers advanced basket weaving!". . .Q: What are your thoughts on Sarkisian's comments regarding Ole Miss academics for student-athletes? - - The flurry of jabs comes just weeks before the SEC's annual spring meetings, which is scheduled to occur May 26-28 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Miramar Beach, Florida - - In a four-hour interview with Vanity Fair magazine that was published on Monday, Lane Kiffin - who was the head football coach at Ole Miss prior to accepting a similar role at LSU - said that some top [high school] recruits would tell him [that] they weren't interested in coming to Oxford, Mississippi: "[They would say], 'Hey Coach, we really like you, but my grandparents aren't letting me move to Oxford, Mississippi," Kiffin told the magazine. "That doesn't come up when you say Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Parents were sitting here this weekend saying the campus's diversity feels so great: 'It feels like there's no segregation. And we want that for our kid because that's the real world."' - - According to the article, Kiffin clarified his remarks one day later: "I just hope [my comment] comes across respectful to Ole Miss . . .There are some things that I'm saying that are factual; they're not shots." - - Let's analyze the overall demographics of the two college towns: The population of Baton Rouge (LA) - home to Louisiana State University - is 52% African-American (or Black) and 34% Caucasian (or White), according to 2024 census data, whereas Oxford - the home of Ole Miss University - is 66% Caucasian (or White) and 26% African-American (or Black) - - Kiffin led Ole Miss to a 50-19 overall record from 2020 to 2025 prior to leaving for LSU, whom of which offered him a seven-year contract worth about $13 million annually - - There is no doubt that Kiffin's remarks will serve as additional motivation for Pete Golding & the Ole Miss Rebels as they prepare for the upcoming 2026-27 college football season, especially for one particular date that we are sure they have circled on their calendar, September 19th, the date that Lane Kiffin & the LSU Tigers travel to Oxford to take on the Rebels. . .Q: What is your take on Lane Kiffin's comments to Vanity Fair magazine regarding the differences in overall campus diversity between that of Ole Miss & LSU? While he has since attempted to clarify his remarks, on a more personal level, do you believe that his comments were, in fact, "calculated?". . .Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy has been released from the hospital after being shot in the upper leg early Sunday morning, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel, as he plans to head to Missouri's campus immediately to begin rehabbing with the goal of playing this year, sources said - - The 20-year-old Tigers' star RB was shot while attending a "rap concert," in his native Mississippi, and was rushed to Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, where he immediately underwent surgery: The shooting incident reportedly occurred around 2 a.m. Sunday outside a concert at the Kamakazy Biker Club in Laurel, Mississippi, as the Laurel police department informed the local news affiliate on Monday that at least two people were injured and three (3) people of interest were in custody, as three (3) 19-year-old men, identified as Landice Magee, Jvon Sibley & Alvin Peyton, were arrested & booked into the Jones County (MS) jail on Sunday, in connection with the shooting of Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy - - According to numerous reports & posts on social media, the three (3) suspects were former high school teammates of Hardy's at Lawrence County High School in Mississippi - - A first-team All-SEC selection last season, Hardy was second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season - - **NOTE: The first-team Associated Press All-America selection and SEC Newcomer of the Year also scored 16 TDs and averaged 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts en route to being a finalist for the Doak Walker Award - - Hardy transferred to Missouri from UL Monroe following the 2024 CFB season, when he rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 TDs on 237 rushing attempts. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Ahmad Hardy shooting?. . . "It Really Do Be Your Own Family:" Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day will have some very familiar competition in the Big Ten Conference very soon. .The son of the Ohio State football coach, R.J. Day, announced his commitment to Northwestern University for the Class of 2027 on Sunday - as the Wildcats play in the same conference as Ohio St., and the schools/programs will face off in a B1G Conference matchup during the regular season - - R.J. Day, a 6-foot-1, 205-lb QB prospect from - not surprisingly - Columbus, Ohio, who has started for three (3) years at St. Francis DeSales High School, will begin his senior season this fall - after which point, he plans to enroll at Northwestern under head football coach David Braun - - According to reports, the younger Day received other offers from Purdue, Syracuse, Cincinnati & South Florida, among others - - With his commitment, Northwestern will feature a total of eight (8) QBs on Braun's roster, but the most interesting aspect of R.J.'s commitment Northwestern involves the Wildcats' newly-hired OC: the OC for the Wildcats is Chip Kelly, who ironically served in the same role for Ryan Day at Ohio State when the Buckeyes won the national championship in 2024, and he was also the OC at New Hampshire when Ryan Day was the team captain from 1998-2001. . .Q: What does R.J. Day's commitment to Northwestern tell you about his capabilities as a QB prospect? Could you imagine a father vs. son scenario that becomes engrained into the Ohio St.-Northwestern regular-season matchup of the 2027-28 season?. . ."An Evaluation & Analysis of the Alabama Crimson Tide's 2025-26 College Football Season/2026-27 Season Outlook (aka, our "Alabama Postmortem" segment): In this particular segment, JD & Spencer conduct a post-analysis of the 2025-26 Alabama Crimson Tide college football season, a sort of postmortem if you will (i.e., A Season Overview). . .as well as evaluate/grade their offseason acquisitions (i.e., by way of recruiting as well as via the NCAA transfer portal) for this particular recruiting cycle. . .Finally, they each present their independent thoughts regarding the program & its' overall direction as we draw closer to the upcoming 2026-27 season (i.e., A Preseason Outlook). . .which also includes an overview & discussion of HC Kalen DeBoer's performance throughout his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa, and what pertinent factors might determine whether this coaching staff is or is not on the "hot seat.". . . - MLB - - Less than a week after the passing of former Atlanta Braves team owner, Ted Turner, former longtime manager & World Series champion Bobby Cox, 84, who won more than 2,500 games in his career and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, has passed away, the team announced Saturday - - Cox lasted just two seasons as a player in the majors, with the New York Yankees in 1968-69, and finished with a modest .225 career batting average. .but it was as a manager that Cox would make his mark/embolden his legacy: **NOTE: Cox ranks fourth all time with 2,504 wins in 29 years as a manager, including 25 years in two stints with the Atlanta Braves and four (4) years with the Toronto Blue Jays, as he was named Manager of the Year four (4) times - and only Connie Mack, John McGraw & Tony La Russa had more regular-season wins than Cox - - The often-tempestuous skipper - he was ejected more times than any other manager in MLB history (158 times during the regular season; to put this in context, the MLB regular season is 162 games) - and he led the Braves to 14 straight division tit...
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Tradition's Finest Episode 134 - "The Quadruple-Double/Dream Episode"
3w ago01:31:42Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 134 - "The Quadruple-Double/Dream Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: "6-7, 6-7, 7-6?:" The men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments are expanding to 76 teams, the NCAA announced Thursday - - **NOTE: It is the first time the men's tournament has expanded since 2011, and the first time the women's tpurnament has expanded since 2022 (15 years and 4 years for men's & women's tournaments, respectively) - - The expansion from 68 teams to 76 teams marks the men's largest increase since it moved to 64 teams in 1985 - - It went from 64 to 65 in 2001 and then added three (3) more teams in 2011 to form the "First Four" - - With the increase to 76, the First Four (4) - doubleheaders on back-to-back days in Dayton (OH) - will be replaced by a 12-game Opening Round: The Tuesday and Wednesday of the men's tournament will feature 12 games played by 24 teams in two different cities, as there will now be three (3) games each day in Dayton and three (3) games each day in a second city to be determined, with sources telling ESPN's Pete Thamel that the second site is expected to be west of the Eastern time zone to help with logistics - - On the women's side, the 12 Opening Round games will be played on the Wednesday & Thursday between Selection Sunday and the beginning of the Round of 64 on Friday - and across 12 of the campus site designated as first- and second-round hosts - - Half of the 24 Opening Round teams will be the lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers, as the others will be the lowest-seeded "at-large" teams, while the traditional 64-team first round and ensuing rounds rounds will remain the same in both the men's and women's tournament. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA's announcement that both the men's & women's NCAA basketball tournaments will expand to 76 teams beginning next season?. . .NCAA College Football: "Never Too Late:" A retired businessman enrolled in college for the first time - and joined the NCAA D-III football team as a freshman walk-on - after a dire cancer diagnosis reinvigorated his zeal for life: Tom Green, a 60-year-old Maryland native, stunned officials when he tried out for the football program during his freshman year at McDaniel College, located in Westminster, Maryland - - Now, he's slated to become one of the oldest college athletes in United States history, about a decade after beating cancer, as he is set to make his debut on the defensive line in the fall season: Green turns 61 years old in June, and if he plays through his 62nd birthday, he will, in fact, become the oldest person to ever play college football - - When he was first diagnosed with stage four (4) kidney cancer in 2015, Green said he was certifiably "dying," as his doctors informed him that he had eight (8) tumors festered in his body, stretching from one in his skull to another in the tail of his pancreas - and then, in what Green chalked up to divine intervention, he was declared cancer-free in 2018 - - While reapplying to college after being cleared of cancer, he decided to take his shot at joining the team - - Some players on the team, according to Green, thought his recruitment was a joke, but they eventually began to accept his presence as an inspiration: "I had to get used to it. At first, it was kind of weird, but I got used to it because he teaches us lifelong lessons that we can use off the field," teammate Jordan Weeden said - - Green was also blown away by the team's warm reception, though he admitted it only came about after they each tested him with rough blows during practice - - The sexagenarian knows his time on the turf is finite, but he hopes to leave his newfound brothers with memories that will carry them through the rest of their lives: "[Football] never leaves you. And the one thing that I always tell everybody is, the camaraderie of it all, you miss it. I've had employees, and I've had people work for me, and so on and so forth, but when you're playing ball, it's a lot different atmosphere. It's one of those things that I think the Lord has led me to and God's blessed me to do it," he added. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the resiliency of Mr. Tom Green? Thoughts on him becoming the oldest person to ever play the sport of college football?. . . - NBA - - 2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review & recap the following first-round & semifinal playoff games: **Be Sure to Tune in for a full recap of the first & second round playoff series listed below. . . Western Conference Playoffs: First Round Game 6: No.4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No.5 Houston Rockets LAL leads series 3-2 Eastern Conference Playoffs: First Round Game 7: No.2 Boston Celtics vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers Series tied 3-3 (includes a discussion of "Embiid's Plea" & "Jaylen Brown's Twitch Rant". . .) Game 7: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.8 Orlando Magic Series tied 3-3 Game 7: No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.5 Toronto Raptors Series tied 3-3 Western Conference Playoffs: Semifinal Round Game 1: No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves Series 0-0 Game 1: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Los Angeles Lakers Series 0-0 Game 2: No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves MIN led series 1-0 Game 2: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.4 Los Angeles Lakers OKC led series 1-0 Eastern Conference Playoffs: Semifinal Round Game 1: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers Series 0-0 Game 1: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers Series 0-0 Game 2: No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers NYK led series 1-0 Game 2: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers DET led series 1-0 - NBA - - "Magic [All Gone]:" Following their collapse & loss in Game 7 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs series against the Detroit Pistons, the Orlando Magic have dismissed HC Jamahl Mosley, per ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday morning - - Mosley, 47, spent the past five (5) seasons with Orlando, leading the team out of a rebuild and into the playoffs each of the past three (3) seasons - - They failed to advance past the first round in any of them after they lost in seven (7) games to the top-seeded Detroit Pistons this season, blowing a 3-1 series lead - - Mosley led the Magic to two division titles and three (3) consecutive winning seasons while dealing with a litany of injuries to key starters, particularly over the previous two years, as he finished his Orlando tenure with a 189-221 overall record. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Orlando Magic dismissing HC Jamahl Mosley following their epic collapse in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series?. . . - MLB - - Ted Turner, the former owner of the Atlanta Braves and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks who made his mark as a media mogul & philanthropist, has died at the age of 87 - he passed away Wednesday at his home near Tallahassee, Florida, according to a family spokesman - - In September 2018, Turner revealed that he was battling Lewy body dementia, an ailment that causes a progressive decline in mental abilities with physical signs & symptoms similar to Parkinson's Disease - - Turner purchased the Braves in January 1976 following a 67-94 season by the club - - He helped open baseball's free agent price wars by signing pitcher Andy Messersmith shortly after buying the team and once managed the club for a day on May 11, 1977 - and he also led the team to a World Series victory in 1995 - - In addition to owning the Braves, Turner bought a majority stake in the Hawks in 1977, as he said at the time that he purchased the team to keep it from moving out of the Atlanta area: The Hawks made the playoffs 15 times during Turner's ownership, and the club retired a jersey in honor of him in 2004 - - Turner made his fortune in media, taking over the family business and renaming it Turner Communications Group in 1970, and he began his empire by purchasing two stations in Atlanta & Charlotte, North Carolina - - In 1976, he launched TBS to millions across America, as the station's signal was carried via satellite, and four (4) years later, he furthered his reach by creating the 24-hour cable news network, CNN, a move that transformed the news business - - TNT, created in 1988, increased Turner's footprint in the media landscape - - Time Warner assumed ownership of the Braves & Hawks in 1996 when Turner sold his business to the company for $7.3 billion in stock - - A year later, TBS became the owner of the NHL expansion Thrashers, who relocated & became the Winnipeg Jets in 2011, and in 1986, he created the Goodwill Games - - Later in life, Turner focused on philanthropy, pledging $1 billion to benefit the United Nations, and he was also committed to The Giving Pledge - - Turner married three (3) tim...
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Tradition's Finest Episode 133 - "The Hick from French Lick Episode"
4w ago01:06:05Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 133 - "The Hick from French Lick Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: The NCAA has initiated the final steps to expand the men's & women's college basketball tournaments to 76 teams, sources told ESPN Tuesday evening - - The expansion, which has been discussed for well over a year, is on track to be formalized in the upcoming weeks and would begin this coming season - - Sources indicated mid-May as a potential timeframe for an announcement, although there are still steps to take in terms of approvals via various NCAA committees - - Once the contracts are completed, the NCAA also would need approval from various committees, including the men's & women's basketball committees, the men's & women's basketball oversight committees, the Division I cabinet and the Division I board of governors - - The added finances would cover the additional logistics cost for both the men's & women's tournaments - - The primary driver of this expansion hasn't been money, but rather access for at-large bids for power conferences - the expansion has been pushed primarily by power conferences, which have grown throughout the course of the current deal - - The mechnics of the expansion in the men's tournament would include eight (8) additional at-large bids, and what's known now as the First Four, would include eight (8) teams playing four (4) games in Dayton, Ohio, would expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two sites, one of which was expected to remain in Dayton, and the location of the new site has yet to be determined - - The expansion would lead to an additional eight (8) men's games, meaning the Tuesday & Wednesday of the NCAA Tournament would features 24 of the 76 men's teams, that number now includes eight (8) teams who would have qualified for the traditional bracket that would sqaure off against the eight (8) at-large additions - - The traditional 64-team men's bracket would still begin on Thursday and look much of the same, with the major difference being that more teams would qualify as traditional "at-large" bids, that would have to play earlier than the 64-team bracket. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA initiating the final steps to expand the men's and women's basketball tournaments to 76 teams?. . .NCAA College Football: "A Sorsby Dilemma:"Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby will take an "immediate indefinite leave of absence" from the football program as he enters a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, the school announced Monday, as the NCAA is investigating Sorsby's gambling, industry sources told The Athletic - - Sorsby, a fifth-year senior, transferred to Texas Tech in January as one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal after two seasons at Cincinnati - - Following the news, Texas Tech has said that it is committed to supporting Sorsby through his recovery process, but there is no announced timetable for Sorsby's treatment or his return to the Red Raiders - - Industry sources confirmed an ESPN report that Sorsby bet on Indiana football in 2022 while he was a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers, as his gambling continued since then, according to sources, but the full extent is not yet clear - - Industry sources also informed The Athletic that Sorsby attended Cincinnati Reds' games on repeated occasions and placed live wagers on balls & strikes, with bets ranging anywhere from $2.50 to less than a $1 per pitch - and he placed a significant number of wagers in recent years - as the overwhelming majority were for smaller dollar amounts on various sports, including live bets on UFC matches, which is allowable under NCAA rules as long as the athlete is of legal betting age, primarily because the UFC is not a sport in which the NCAA hosts a sanctioned championship - - Sources who have reviewed the betting data told On3, dating back to 2022, he placed more than $20k wagers and at one point averaged 20 bets per day - - The NCAA is likely to permanently ban Sorsby, or for the QB to be deemed ineligible, pending their investigation - - According to updated NCAA sports betting guidelines passed in 2023, players who bet on games involving their own school face potential permanent loss of eligibility, which also applies if they engaged in activities to influence the outcome or knowingly provide insider information to people involved in sports betting, and also, last October, all three (3) NCAA divisions passed a rule change allowing players and staff to bet on pro sports, but the rule was rescinded a month later when more than two-thirds of Division I schools voted to rescind the change - - Sorsby only has one year of eligibility remaining, and so, if he returns to football but is ruled ineligible by the NCAA, he could choose to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, which typically takes place in July or August - as former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor was selected in the 2011 Supplemental Draft after facing suspension by the NCAA over the Ohio State tattoo/memorabilia scandal. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the news/story surrounding Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby? How do you anticipate this story playing out: will the NCAA allow him to return to Texas Tech for his final year of remaining eligibility? Or will he be deemed ineligible?. . . - NFL - - New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel and former sideline reporter Dianna Russini were "all over each other," at a secluded bar in New York City six (6) years ago before they were caught holding hands & hugging at an Arizona resort - as depicted in the exclusive new pics obtained by Page Six, the Patriots' coach and NFL reporter were spotted together inside the dimly lit Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of May 2020 - - They sat close to one another while conversing at the bar, and at one point, they appeared to share a kiss - - At the time the pictures were captured, Vrabel was working as the HC of the Tennessee Titans, while Russini was an NFL reporter at ESPN - - And just when you think this story couldn't get any stranger, some new information has come to light: Apparently, following a four-game skid back in 2022, when Vrabel was still the HC of the Titans, Russini made him a Spotify playlist titled "Turnin The Page," as the playlist was an attempt from Russini to help cheer up Vrabel in the midst of a tough stretch of football. . .Let's break it down, shall we?: We have Latto's "Big Energy" sandwiched between two Beyonce tracks, followed by the awful, bro-country anthem "House Party" by Sam Hunt, and a bunch of pop & electronic slip. . .Q: What are your thoughts surrounding the ongoing Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal?. . .The Minnesota Vikings traded Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, the teams announced last Friday night - - In return, the Vikings received a third-round pick in 2026 (No.98 overall pick) and another third-rounder in 2027, as the Vikings also sent the No.244 pick in this year's draft to the Eagles - - Greenard, who turns 29 in May, had been seeking a new contract along with a pay raise, and he landed such a deal with the Eagles, signing a four-year, $100 million deal, according to a league source, with $50 million guaranteed - - While the Vikings didn't necessarily want to move Greenard, this outcome provided the team with extra draft capital and more financial flexibility, as well as a runaway for third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner to continue to develop & ascend in the league - - In the aftermath of this move, the Vikings are likely to use at least one of their remaining premium draft picks on the defensive line or the edge rusher position. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles acquiring edge rusher Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings?. . .2026 NFL Draft Recap & Analysis: The 2026 NFL Draft wasn't short on excitement: QB Ty Simpson to the Rams midway through the first round? Big defensive additions for the Cowboys? A dynamic RB to the Cardinals? Two brothers going to the same secondary? Eight (8) trades on Day 1 and 41 across all three (3) days? - - That was fun!. .Now we take it all in and try to make sense of the picks: Which teams nailed their selections from start to finish, tackling needs, sticking to the board & actively getting better? Which teams found steals in some places but reached in others? And which teams made real head-scratching moves, missing big opportunities to get value or fill a hole on the roster? In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and analyze some of the most notable picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, provide their individual input regarding some of the most buzzworthy picks across the league: The 2026 NFL Draft began last Thursday in Pittsburgh with the Las Vegas Raiders making former Indiana QB ___________________ the No.1 overall pick - - The New York Jets selected former Texas Tech EDGE ___________________ with the No.2 overall pick - - The Arizona Cardinals selected former Notre Dame RB _____________________ with the No.3 overall pick, while the Tennessee Titans selected former Ohio State WR __________________ with the No.4 pick - - The New York Giants selected former Ohio State LB __________________, while the Kansas City Chiefs completed the trade to move up for the No.6 overall pick, for which they used on former LSU CB _______________________ - - The Washington Commanders selected former Ohio State LB _________________, while the New Orleans Saints selected former Arizona State WR _________________ with the No.8 pick - - The Cleveland Browns completed a trade to move up in the draft, selectin...
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Tradition's Finest Episode 132 - "The 1 + Magic Episode"
Apr 2401:15:49Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 132 - "The 1 + Magic Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: ⭐[First-Ever] 2026 Tradition's Finest NFL Mock Draft ⭐ NOTE/DISCLAIMER: **Projected Picks Were Selected PRIOR to Actual Draft. . . In Recognition of This Year's NFL Draft, and Using the Current Draft Order, This Week's Episode Features JD & Spencer - Two Longtime Sports' Fans (but NOT longtime ESPN Draft Analysts) - Who Construct an NFL Mock Draft by Predicting the First-Round Selections for Each of the Initial Thirty-Two (32) Picks Based on Individual/Franchise Team Need(s), Overall Positional Value & ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board Rankings. . .**Tune in to this Week's Episode to Hear Their Picks, and Be Sure to Share Your Draft Projections/Selections, and Thoughts of the Actual Picks from the First Round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday Evening, on X - @TraditionFinest or Send a Message to Traditions.Finest@gmail.com. . . Thanks for Listening!
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Tradition's Finest Episode 131 - "The 'Hundred & 31 Episode"
Apr 1701:05:33Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 131 - "The 'Hundred & 31 Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: Longtime ESPN and HOF college basketball broadcaster, Dick Vitale (aka "Dickie V"), has been diagnosed with melanoma (cancer) in his lung & liver cavity, and will be starting immunotherapy soon, as this is the fifth time that he's had to deal with a cancer diagnosis - - Vitale, one of the preeminent faces of men's college basketball, has battled four (4) types of cancer over the past few years, and most recently underwent surgery in the summer of 2024 after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck revealed cancer - - ESPN released a statement Monday on social media in which Vitale confirmed the diagnosis: "I've beaten melanoma. I've beaten lymphoma. I've beaten vocal cord cancer," Vitale, 86, said in a statement Monday. "I'm four-for-four and I'm fully confident I'm going to make it five-for-five." - - Following a nearly two-year break to deal with his health, Vitale returned to broadcasting in February of last year after he announced that he was cancer-free - and he just wrapped up his 46th year covering college basketball at ESPN - - Vitale joined ESPN during the 1979-80 season, shortly after ESPN's launch, and called the network's first major college basketball game on Dec. 5, 1979 - - He has gone on to call well over 1,000 games, and in September 2024, he was inducted into the Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame. . .Q: What are your thoughts on ESPN's announcement regarding Dick Vitale's fifth cancer diagnosis?. . ."Mass Exodus:" Despite being open for less than a week, literally thousands of players are looking for a new home in the NCAA transfer portal: While some will wait until the portal closes on April 21 to make a decision, others didn't require that much time to find the next stop of their college basketball journey - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss a few of the most notable player transfers that have occurred within opening week of the transfer portal, and we will also present our picks for the programs who may be categorized as one of the "biggest winners" and "biggest losers" of the NCAA transfer portal thus far:**Be Sure to Tune In for Each Player's Transfer Destination. . . Kansas State transfer guard PJ Haggerty, one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball, has committed to __________________. . .This will be Haggerty's fifth college in five (5) seasons at the NCAA D-I level - - A 6'4'' guard, he has been a high-level scorer at across his time spent at Tulsa, Memphis & Kansas State after starting his career with six (6) games at TCU - - He averaged career highs in scoring (23.4) and assists (3.8) at Kansas State last season, when he was named an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection, whereas at Memphis in 2024-25, Haggerty posted 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds & 3.7 assists per game, when he was also named the American Conference Player of the Year & earned second-team All-America honors - - For his career, Haggerty is averaging 21.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. . .Q: What are your thoughts on PJ Haggerty's fifth program in the past five (5) years? Is it a good fit for the 6-4 guard? . . . Cal transfer guard Justin Pippen has committed to ___________________, per his agents at WME Basketball last Friday afternoon. . .Pippen, a sophomore who is coming off a breakout season at Berkeley, averaged 14.2 points, 4.6 assists & 3.9 rebounds per game last season while at Cal - - Pippen is the son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, his older brother is Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr., and he played his high school basketball at Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles (CA) - - He is expected to play a significant role at his new program, and as a combo guard, he will be expected to fill a role similar to the one Devin Royal played prior to his departure - - At Cal last season, Pippen led the team in assists and tied for second on the team in scoring average as the Bears reached the second round of the NIT Tournament. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Justin Pippen's new home? Is it a good fit for Pippen, the son of an NBA Hall of Famer? . . . Kansas transfer center Flory Bidunga and Oregon transfer guard Jackson Shelstad have committed to ___________________, per multiple reports. . .Bidunga spent two seasons with the Jayhawks and averaged 13.3 points & 9.0 rebounds per game this season for Kansas - - According to 24/7Sports' portal rankings, Bidunga was the top player available in the NCAA transfer portal - - Shelstad, a 6'1'' guard & product of Oregon, spent three (3) seasons with Dana Altman & the Ducks, however, he saw limited time in just 12 games this season, due to a recurring injury - - In his final season in Eugene, Shelstad averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game - - The joint commitment of Bidunga & Shelstad put this particular program in an early position for the country's best portal haul this offseason, as they simultaneously snagged two of the portal's top targets off the board, in a move that sent ripples through the entire college basketball landscape. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Flory Bidunga & Jackson Shelstad's joint commitment to this particular program? Following this move, would you consider HC Pat Kelsey & this program as one of the "biggest winners" of the transfer portal so far? . . . Georgia transfer center Somto Cyril has committed to _________________________, per 247Sports on Sunday afternoon. . .A 6'11'' center originally from Nigeria, Cyril averaged 9.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in his second season at Georgia - - A tenacious defender & rim protector, Cyril was one of the top big man available in the transfer portal, and was ranked inside the top-20 in 247Sports' player transfer portal rankings. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Somto Cyril's new home? Is it a good fit for the 6'11'' Nigerian center?. . . Georgia transfer guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, one of the best scorers in the NCAA transfer portal, committed to _______________________ on Tuesday evening, sources told ESPN. . .A 6'1'' guard, Wilkinson had a long list of suitors, including Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State & LSU, and is a proven scorer at two power-conference programs - - He averaged 15.1 points at Cal his freshman season prior to transferring to the University of Georgia, where he elevated his play, and averaged 17.4 points last season as a sophomore - - He also improved his efficiency in Athens this past season, shooting 41% from the field and nearly 36% from beyond the arc, and most notably, he was capable of huge offensive performances, scoring at least 30 points on three (3) occasions. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Jeremiah Wilkinson's in-conference transfer? Is it necessarily a good fit for the 6'1'' guard? . . . "The Biggest Winners:" Obviously, Louisville's pickup of Kansas transfer center Flory Bidunga & Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad, places them in the mix as one of the biggest winners of the NCAA transfer portal's opening week. . .in addition to Louisville, a couple of other winners from the portal are: ______________________ and __________________________. . ."The Biggest Losers" (NOT the game show): Clearly, there have been programs who have drastically improved their roster following the first week of the NCAA transfer portal being open, but other schools will look to retool their respective rosters after losing multiple players to the transfer portal - - and one such program is _________________________, as this particular program has lost four (4) players that were an integral part of their rotation last season - - Another such loser is ____________________________, as the program's HC is in "wait-and-see" mode because some of the program's biggest stay-or-go decisions from his team have not yet been made. . .Q: Which program(s) would you categorize as being the "biggest winners" and "biggest losers" of the NCAA transfer portal's opening week in college basketball?. . . - NCAA College Football: Per an NCAA announcement on Tuesday, the University of Iowa's football program must vacate four (4) victories from the 2023 college football season for reportedly tampering with QB Cade McNamara before he entered the NCAA transfer portal - - The NCAA reported that Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz and assistant Jon Budmayr participated in 13 phone calls with McNamara, and sent two text messages prior to his entry into the portal in November 2022 - - McNamara left Michigan a few days later after his entry into the portal with a "do-not-contact" tag, and transferred to Iowa, after which point, both Ferentz and Budmayr were suspended for the 2024 season opener in a school-imposed penalty for the violations - - In his time with the Hawkeyes in 2023, McNamara went 4-1 as the starting QB before suffering a knee injury - - The NCAA ruled that McNamara was ineligible for those wins over Utah State, Iowa State, Western Michigan and...
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Tradition's Finest Episode 130 - The "no-pitch" Episode
Apr 1000:58:59Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 130 - The "no-pitch" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA Women's College Basketball Final Four & National Championship Review: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and recap the 2026 NCAAW College Basketball Tournament's Final Four as well as the National Championship game - - and discuss a few of the most noteworthy storylines across the sport - - The following NCAAW college basketball game(s) are discussed in greater detail in this segment: NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.1 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No.1 UConn Huskies - - Ta'Niya Latson scored 16 points and Agot Makeer added 14 points as South Carolina played stifling defense to stun UConn 62-48 last Friday night, ending the Huskies' 54-game winning streak, and advancing to the women's NCAA Tournament national championship game - - South Carolina (36-3) would be looking for its fourth national championship, as their other three (3) have come in the last decade under HC Dawn Staley, whereas UConn (38-1) entered the Women's Final Four undefeated for the ninth time in school history, and for the third straight time left without a national title - as the Huskies also lost in the 2017 and 2018 national semifinals - - **NOTE: The Huskies' 48 points were the fewest points UConn had scored since putting up 49 in a national championship game loss to Staley's Gamecocks in 2022 - - The Huskies and Gamecocks played last season (2025) for the national title and UConn came away with the 82-59 rout for the program's 12th national championship - and they also beat South Carolina handily during the 2024-25 regular season - - "Handshake Wars?:" In the final seconds of South Carolina's upset win over UConn, Huskies HC Geno Auriemma & Gamecocks HC Dawn Staley had a heated exchange, and traded words at midcourt and had to be separated, in what was not a very good look for Auriemma - - When asked by ESPN reporter Holly Rowe what instigated the exchange, Staley responded: "I have no idea. But I'll let you know this: I'm of integrity. I'm of integrity. So, if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game." - - ESPN's broadcast actually showed footage of Staley appearing to shake Auriemma's hand prior to tipoff, albeit brief - - When asked about the exchange postgame, Auriemma said it was customary for coaches to meet at half court prior to the game - as a separate clip from earlier in the broadcast showed Auriemma waiting for Staley at a different point before the game: "The protocol is, before the game, you meet at half court," Auriemma said. "The two coaches meet at half court and they shake hands. They announce it on the loudspeaker. I waited there for like three (3) minutes. I said what I said, and obviously she didn't like it. I just told the truth." - - Auriemma was not only fired up after the game, as during an interview with Holly Rowe on the sideline prior to the start of the 4th QTR, he ripped the game's officiating, declaring the free-throw disparity between the two sides as "ridiculous," and openly criticized the play of the Gamecocks after a UConn player's jersey was ripped - he also implied that Staley had used inappropriate language that was aimed at the officials, but was not punished for it - - On the following Saturday, UConn HC Geno Auriemma released a brief statement apologizing for the heated exchange: "There's no excuse for how I handled the end of the game versus South Carolina. It's unlike what I do and what our standard is here in Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don't want my actions to detract from that. I've had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them." - - While his apology seemed sincere, you can't help but notice that there is one particular name that is missing from Auriemma's statement: Dawn Staley! - - South Carolina HC Dawn Staley said Tuesday that she had spoken to Auriemma and suggested that everyone "turn the page" after their midcourt argument at the Final Four fueled a firestorm of controversy and could've shed a negative light on Auriemma's legacy. . .Q: What are your thoughts on South Carolina's dominant victory over UConn in the NCAA Women's Final Four last Friday night to end the Huskies' 54-game winning streak dating back to last season? Following his explanation at the postgame conference, what were your thoughts on Geno Auriemma's actions/outburst at midcourt? How much of it do you think was really related to Staley not following what he referred to as 'the protocol?' . . .NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.1 Texas Longhorns vs. No.1 UCLA Bruins - - Center Lauren Betts finished the game with 16 points and made a huge block late, as UCLA withstood a last-ditch effort by Texas on Friday night for a 51-44 win to reach the NCAA Women's College Basketball National Championship Game for the first time in program history - - Manhandled by the eventual national champion, UConn, in their first Final Four appearance a year ago, the Bruins (36-1) dominated their way to another national semifinal with the best season in school history - - A chance at a first national title game appearance had to go through the only team to apply a blemish to their imperfect record this season: Overpowered in their first meeting, the Bruins turned the tables on Texas (35-4) in the national semifinal, shutting down All-American guard Madison Booker while building a 13-point lead midway through the 4th QTR - - Meanwhile, the Longhorns, who are one of the nation's best defensive teams this season, flexed their defensive prowess during a 12-2 run that cut UCLA's lead to 47-44, but Lauren Betts came in clutch, swatting the Texas' run to halt, as she blocked Booker's shot with 20 seconds left, as well as Kiki Rice's two clutch FTs, which sent HC Cori Close's crew into the title game - - The grinding win earned the Bruins a spot in the following Sunday's national title game against fellow No.1 seed South Carolina, the three-time champs, who ended reigning champion UConn's undefeated season and left Huskies' coach Geno Auriemma fuming - as so was Texas guard Madison Booker after a brutal finish to what was otherwise a stellar season, as she hit her first shot of the game, but missed her next 17 & finished with six (6) points on 3-of-23 (13%) shooting. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UCLA's impressive win over the SEC Conference champions, Texas Longhorns, on Friday night to advance to the NCAA Women's national title game? Thoughts on guard Madison Booker's poor shooting performance?. . .NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - National Championship Game: No.1 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No.1 UCLA Bruins - - This one was for Cori Close and Lauren Betts and all the current players wearing UCLA on their jerseys, but it was also for Ann Meyers Drysdale & Denise Curry and John Wooden, and every Bruin who poured effort into what would become the first NCAA championship in UCLA women's basketball history: The senior-laden Bruins beat South Carolina 79-51 on Sunday in the national title game, and they did it the same way they had won all season - with a dominating inside presence, an unselfish offensive approach & a suffocating defense - that handed Dawn Staley & the Gamecocks their second-worst loss in NCAA tournament history - - **NOTE: The 28-point margin of victory was the third largest in a Division I women's championship final game - - UCLA never trailed, opening a double-digit lead at the end of the 1st QTR en route to its 31st straight win to make program history, as star center Lauren Betts was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player after the game - - In her 15th season at the helm, Bruins HC Cori Close pulled off what many didn't believe was possible at one of most storied basketball programs in the country, as UCLA last won a national title in women's college basketball in 1978 in the AIAW, when Meyers Drysdale & Denise Curry led the way - whereas John Wooden won 10 titles as the HC of the men's college basketball program, and set a standard that other coaches on the Los Angeles campus wanted to follow - - In this one-sided affair, five (5) UCLA players finished the game in double figures, as Betts finished with 14 points & 11 rebounds, but UCLA senior Gabriela Jaquez - the younger sister of former Bruin and now Miami Heat basketball player Jamie Jaquez - who was perhaps the most impactful player in this game, as she not only found open shots but also fed her teammates & got inside the paint to grab one rebound after another - finished with a fantastic stat line of 21 points, 10 rebounds and five (5) assists in a performance that will not soon be forgotten - - South Carolina, meanwhile in the first half, shot 9-of-35, as forward Joyce Edwards was 1-of-6 from the field with two points - as it was the Gamecocks' worst FG percentage in any half of any game since December 2022, when they shot 26% in the first half against South Dakota State - - The Gamecocks ended this game shooting 29% from the field, as their three (3) best players - Edwards, Ta'Niya Latson & Raven Johnson - finished the game with a combin...
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Tradition's Finest Episode #129 - "The comeBACK Episode"
Apr 301:13:09Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 129 - "The comeBACK Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: "NCAA's Appeal Denied:" The Mississippi Supreme Court denied the NCAA's petition to overturn a judge's decision that would allow Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss to play next season - - Initially, the NCAA denied Chambliss' waiver request on Jan. 9, and after Chambliss appealed, the organization's Athletics Eligibility Subcommittee upheld the denial on Feb 4. - - On Feb. 12, Judge Robert Whitwell, the presiding judge, said that he agreed with Chambliss' argument that the player's medical history was not properly considered by the NCAA - - The 23-year-old Chambliss has been in college for five (5) years, but was healthy enough to play just three (3) of those years - - Afterwards, Judge Whitwell advocated for the Ole Miss QB, stating that Chambliss would have received "irreparable harm" had the NCAA's ruling been upheld, and he further elaborated that the organization would not be damaged by allowing to play - - Chambliss and Ole Miss Athletics Department submitted nearly 91 pages to the NCAA to document how medical issues prevented him from playing two years, the judge said - - The NCAA, according to the judge, did not properly take those [medical] records into consideration, and denied the waiver's request "on pure semantics," - - Prior to transferring to Ole Miss, Chambliss began his college football career at Ferris State University, a Division II program, where he would lead the Bulldogs to a NCAA D-II national championship - - Last season, in Oxford, Chambliss completed 294 of 445 passes (66.1%) for 3,937 yards with 22 TDs and three (3) INTs for the Rebels (13-2), which set a school record for wins, including two after making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, while also rushing for 527 yards and eight (8) TDs on the ground. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Mississippi Supreme Court's decision to deny the NCAA's appeal to overturn a judge's decision regarding Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss' eligibility in 2026-27?. . .Recently retired coach, Gus Malzahn, who won a national title in 2010 as Auburn's OC, will join former Cal coach Jeff Tedford on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee this spring, the CFP announced on Monday - - University of Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek will return as the Committee chairman for a second consecutive season, and Louisiana AD Bryan Maggard will also join the group - - The three (3) new committee members will each serve three-year terms & replace outgoing members Chris Ault (a former HC), Jeff Long (a former longtime collegiate administrator), and Miami (Ohio) AD David Sayler, whose terms have expired - - Malzahn, who had a 35-year coaching career and developed a reputation for his up-tempo offensive philosophy, announced his retirement in February after serving as the OC under Mike Norvell at Florida State University - - He spent 13 years as head football coach at Arkansas State (2012), Auburn (2013-2020) and UCF (2021-2024), where he posted a career record of 105-62 - - As for Jeff Tedford, he served as the head football coach at Cal University (2002-2012) and Fresno State (2017-2019 and 2022-2023), compiling a career record of 127-79 - - At Cal, Tedford engineered one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history, leading a team that had won just one game to consistent bowl appearances, national rankings as well as a share of the 2006 PAC-12 Conference title - - He remains the Golden Bears' winningest coach with an 82-57 record, while guiding the team to eight (8) bowl games - - Malzahn & Tedford will join former coaches Mark Dantonio (Michigan State) and Mike Riley (Oregon State/Nebraska). . .Q: What are your thoughts on the news that former head football coaches Gus Malzahn & Jeff Tedford will be joining the CFP Selection Committee this spring? How does Gus Malzahn's addition impact Kalen DeBoer & the Alabama Crimson Tide come postseason/CFP time next spring? . . .NCAA College Basketball: "Wade Just One Damn Minute:" Just one year after signing a six-year deal to become the head basketball coach at NC State University, Will Wade made the decision on Thursday to make a jump back to LSU, where he previously coached from 2017 until 2022, while NC State was left to pick up the pieces, and like many Wolfpack fans, NC State AD Boo Corrigan was not pleased by the sudden move, stating "I'd commiserate with [fans], in terms of feeling lied to," - - After leading the Wolfpack to a 20-12 record this season, Wade has now inked a seven-year deal to become the head basketball coach at LSU - - Out of the ACC Conference, NC State got off to an 18-6 start (9-2 in conference play) prior to losing six (6) of its final seven (7) games to end the regular season, as the Wolfpack were ultimately placed in the First Four on Selection Sunday, and afterwards losing to the Texas Longhorns, finishing the season with a 20-14 mark - - In his introductory press conference on Monday, Wade indicated to the Tiger faithful that "We're coming back to try and hang a banner, win a national championship, or I'm going to be the first [head] coach fired from the same school twice," as Wade does become the first SEC men's basketball coach in conference history to be fired and re-hired by the same program "One way or another, we're going to make history!" - - In his first stint at LSU from 2017-22, Wade was 105-51 with an SEC regular-season championship and three (3) NCAA Tournament appearances, however, LSU would go on to fire him in March 2022 for his involvement in NCAA Level I and Level II recruiting violations - - Overall, Wade is 266-119 with eight (8) NCAA Tournament appearances in 12 seasons as a head coach at five (5) different NCAA D-I programs. . .Q: How do you expect for the Will Wade-LSU reunion to play out? - - **Update: It was announced that former player Justin Gainey, who has spent the past five (5) seasons as an assistant coach, will return to NC State as the Wolfpack's next head basketball coach and Wade's replacement, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday amid multiple reports - - Gainey, 49, played for the Wolfpack from 1996 to 2000 and later began his foray into coaching as an administrative coordinator with the program from 2006 to 2008 - - Gainey has spent the past five (5) seasons on Rick Barnes' staff at Tennessee, including the last four (4) as an assistant coach - Gainey also has served as an assistant at Elon, Appalachian State, Santa Clara, Arizona & Marquette - - Gainey was on AD Boo Corrigan's short list of replacements, and was believed to be one of the final candidates last offseason prior to the hire of Will Wade. . .Q: What are your thoughts on NC State's hire of former Wolfpack player Justin Gainey as the program's next head basketball coach?. . . - 2026 NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Review & Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer will review and recap the eight (8) games from the Sweet Sixteen as well as the four (4) games from the Elite Eight from this past weekend - as well as discuss a few of the major takeaways from the first weekend of March Madness; the following matchups from the third and fourth round(s) of the 2026 NCAA Tournament listed below are discussed within this episode: Sweet Sixteen: West Region: No.1 Arizona Wildcats vs. No.4 Arkansas Razorbacks (ARK HC John Calipari suffered the single worst loss of his career in the NCAA Tournament) . . . West Region: No.2 Purdue Boilermakers vs. No.11 Texas Longhorns (Despite their loss, TEX G Tramon Mark (29) sets record for the most points scored by a Texas player in the NCAA Tournament since Kevin Durant (30) in the second round of the 2007 tournament) . . . South Region: No.2 Houston Cougars vs. No.3 Illinois Fighting Illini (The Cougars struggled offensively, as a team shooting 34% in its lowest-scoring game of the season) . . . South Region: No.4 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. No.9 Iowa Hawkeyes (IOWA first-year HC Ben McCollum, who won four (4) national titles at the D-II level, led the Hawkeyes to its fifth Elite Eight and first since 1987) . . .**NOTE: 38,369 NCAA Tournament brackets (0.144%) accurately predicted Iowa, Illinois, Arizona & Purdue advancing to the Elite Eight following the first four (4) games of the Sweet Sixteen . . . East Region: No.1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No.5 St. John's Red Storm (Three (3) weeks post-surgery on his left foot, Duke's Caleb Foster helps the Blue Devils rally from a 10-point second-half deficit to stun St. John's and to advance to the Elite Eight) . . .**NOTE: It was just the second loss for St. John's head coach Rick Pitino in 14 visit(s) to the Sweet 16 - and just the second loss for this season's Red Storm in their final 23 games . . . East Region: No.2 UConn Huskies vs No.3 Michigan State Spartans ( A true heavyweight clash between two of college basketball's traditional "blue bloods," as well as a battle between two of the sports' greatest coaches in Tom Izzo and Dan Hurley) . . .**NOTE: Following UConn's win over Tom Izzo and the Spartans, forward Alex Karaban won his 16th NCAA Tournament game as a starter . . . ...
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Tradition's Finest Episode 128 - "The Naismith Episode"
Mar 2701:23:10Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 128 - "The Naismith Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: The College Coaching Carousel: Quite possibly, with the most buzzworthy news surrounding it, North Carolina men's basketball coach Hubert Davis was fired by the school, bringing a conclusion to a tumultuous week after the Tar Heels' stunning loss to VCU in the first round of this year's NCAA Tournament, exiting in the Round of 64 for the second consecutive year: The Tar Heels led the Rams by 19 in the second half but collapsed down the stretch in an 82-79 OT defeat, which was the largest comeback in the NCAA Tournament since 2018 - - North Carolina went 24-9 this season, despite projected top-five NBA draft pick Caleb Wilson sitting out the final nine (9) games because of hand & thumb injuries - - In five (5) seasons as coach, Davis was 125-54, finishing with a winning percentage of 69.8% - - The school did not specify the nature of Davis' departure in its statement Tuesday night, simply calling it a change in leadership, - but in a post on Instagram, Davis said he was "let go" by the university and that his desire was to continue to coach at Chapel Hill - - The decision to fire Davis came from a recommendation from current AD Bubba Cunningham and executive associate AD Steve Newmark, who will take over the AD role on July 1 - - That recommendation was accepted by chancellor Lee Roberts on Tuesday - - Davis' exit looms large over a historic or "blue blood" college basketball program that has long leaned into alumni and the so-called Carolina Way, and opens one of the most coveted positions in all of basketball - - His departure opens the possibility of the school seeking a coach outside the North Carolina family for the first time since Bill Guthridge's three-season stint ended in 1999-2000, as Matt Doherty, Roy Williams & Davis, who each followed Guthridge, are all UNC alumni. . .Q: Is it time for North Carolina to bring back the GOAT Michael "MJ" Jordan to Chapel Hill as the Tar Heels' next head basketball coach? If the school's leadership does, in fact, seek a coach outside of the North Carolina family, who are a couple of the most notable coaches the program should pursue (i.e., Alabama's Nate Oats, Florida's Todd Golden, etc.)? . . .Providence has hired South Florida's Bryan Hodgson as its next men's head basketball coach - - Hodgson is joining the Friars after leading the Bulls to a 25-9 record, the American Conference regular-season and postseason titles, and a bid to this year's NCAA Tournament as an No.11 seed in his lone season in Tampa - - The No.11 Bulls were eliminated from the 2026 NCAA Tournament after suffering a loss to No.6 Louisville last Thursday in the first round - - Hodgson is a former Nate Oats assistant coach at Buffalo and Alabama, who brings an up-tempo style of play predicated on high-efficiency shot selection - - Hodgson, 38, will replace Kim English, who went 48-52 in his three (3) years at Providence, which included back-to-back losing seasons in 2024-25 and 2025-26 - - Providence will be the third school in three (3) years for Hodgson, who spent two seasons at Arkansas State, where he led the program to a pair of 20-win seasons, including a 25-11 Sun Belt Conference regular-season title in 2024-25, which gave the Red Wolves their first NIT bid in more than three (3) decades, prior to accepting the head coaching position at South Florida - - Hodgson now inherits a program considered well-funded in the Big East Conference, and one that is looking to get back to winning consistently, a feat the program hasn't experienced since Ed Cooley left for Georgetown in 2023. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Providence's hire of USF's Bryan Hodgson as their new men's head basketball coach?. . .Syracuse has turned to its past by hiring former star guard, Gerry McNamara, in a bid to guide a fading men's college basketball program back to prominence, the school announced on Tuesday - - McNamara, 42, aptly nicknamed "G-Mac," is returning to where he & Carmelo Anthony led the Orange to a national championship in the 2003-04 college basketball season - - Following an outstanding playing career, McNamara then spent 14 years as an assistant coach at his alma mater under Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, and an additional season under his successor, Adrian Autry - - Now, he replaces Autry at Syracuse, who was fired after three (3) largely disappointing seasons in which the Orange went a combined 49-48 and extended their NCAA Tournament drought to five (5) seasons, the program's longest since 1967-72 - - McNamara returns to central New York after spending the past two seasons at Siena, where he led the Saints to a combined 37-30 record, which included a 23-12 finish this year in which they won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament & clinched their first NCAA Tournament berth since the 2010-11 season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on former star point guard & Siena coach Gerry "G-Mac" McNamara being hired as the next head men's basketball coach at Syracuse?. . .Creighton coach Greg McDermott is retiring after the 2025-26 NCAA college basketball season, the school announced on Monday, as his retirement will end a gilded run at Creighton, as McDermott, 61, won 365 games in 16 years as the head coach of the Blue Jays - - McDermott has a career record of 514-319 over 25 D-I seasons, including the 2023 Elite Eight and bids into 13 NCAA Tournaments, while the head coach at Northern Iowa, Iowa State & Creighton - - McDermott will be passing the job to the coach-in-waiting, Alan Huss, who had returned to the Creighton staff and was formally positioned for a year to take over this role, as the transition to Huss was hatched in April 2025, as he stepped down as the head coach at High Point University after leading them to a bid in the NCAA Tournament - - At Creighton, McDermott memorably coached his son, Doug McDermott, from 2010-11 to 2013-14, a time for which he was integral in helping bridge Creighton from the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) to the Big East Conference: The seamless transition from the MVC to the Big East will continue to be a huge part of Greg McDermott's legacy, as Creighton won the Big East regular-season title in the 2019-20 season, and had records of .500 or above in Big East play in 11 of 13 seasons in the league - - However, Creighton struggled this year by the standard McDermott set, finishing the season with a 15-17 overall record, and ending a streak of 10 consecutive 20-win seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Creighton's announcement that head men's basketball coach Greg McDermott will retire at the end of the 2025-26 college basketball season? Thoughts on his replacement, coach-in-waiting Alan Huss? . . .2026 March Madness: First and Second Round Review & Recap: The first weekend of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is officially in the books, and there are, of course, distinct winners & losers - - Among the big winners are the Big Ten Conference and John Calipari, who has guided the Arkansas Razorbacks to its second Sweet 16 appearance in his second season with the program, while his former team, the Kentucky Wildcats, are headed back home to Lexington: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss & review the first and second-round games from this past weekend - as well as discuss a few of the major takeaways from the first weekend of March Madness: **Be Sure to Tune in to hear this week's "March Madness: First and Second Round Review" segment. . . - 2026 NCAA Tournament: Sweet 16 & Elite Eight Preview & Predictions: The Sweet 16 is officially set after a wild first weekend of the 2026 NCAA Tournament: If you wanted Madness, you sure got your case full of it - - If you wanted a shocking upset, you got it, thanks to the No.9 seed Iowa Hawkeyes pulling off the stunning upset victory over the defending national champion Florida Gators - - If you wanted thrilling buzzer-beaters, you got multiple orders, thanks to St. John's guard Dylan Darling, who delivered the game-winner to stun No.4 seed Kansas on Sunday to send the fifth-seeded Red Storm to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999, and an all-time classic in the Nebraska-Vanderbilt matchup, punctuated by Tyler Tanner's potentially game-winning heave that was halfway down the basket until it wasn't - - If you crave high-quality basketball, last weekend certainly answered the call, with the exception of the first 30 minutes of the St. John's-Kansas second-round matchup, which could aptly be described as a football game that occurred on a hardwood floor inside of a gymnasium or arena - - Sweet 16 by Conference breakdown: Big Ten Conference (6), SEC Conference (4), Big 12 Conference (3), Big East Conference (2) and ACC Conference (1) - - The second weekend of March Madness has an extremely high bar to cross after fulfilling an epic, madness-inducing first weekend of the 2026 NCAA Tournament - - In this particular segment, JD & Spencer will preview each of the third round (i.e., Sweet 16) matchups from this weekend, as well as provide their individual predictions/game picks for both the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, to present their Final Four picks for this year's tournament. . .**Be Sure to Tune in to hear this week's...
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Tradition's Finest Episode 127 - The "Cinderella Story" Episode
Mar 2001:20:40Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 127 - The "Cinderella Story" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: "Holloway's Not-So-Holiday:" Authorities reportedly found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in University of Alabama basketball star Aden Holloway's apartment when he was arrested on a felony drug possession charge Monday morning, according to the charging documents obtained by ESPN on Tuesday - - So why is the amount relevant?. . .**NOTE: The amount discovered in the arrest is significant because any amount of marijuana above 2.2 pounds - or a kilogram (kg) - in the state of Alabama can result in a drug trafficking charge, whether or not there are clear signs of an intent to distribute - - Holloway, who was "removed from campus," and is not with the team just days prior to the onset of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, informed police that he wanted to exercise his Miranda Rights (aka "plead the fifth") and/or remain silent during the search of his apartment, but then told police that he "only smokes [and does not sell or distribute]," - - Following his arrest, Crimson Tide HC Nate Oats stated at a press conference that the team was preparing to play without Holloway - who was the team's No.2 scorer, averaging 16.8 points per game, behind only star guard Labaron Philon - when it faces No.13 seed Hofstra on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament - - Holloway posted $5,000 bail and was released from the Tuscaloosa County jail shortly after his initial arrest - - He has been charged with a class C felony drug possession charge, "not for personal use," and a failure to affix a tax stamp charge, both of which are felonies and carry a max sentence of 10 years in jail and a $15,000 fine - - While it's unclear what prompted the search warrant, as per the charging documents, the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force was executing a search warrant at Holloway's apartment when authorities located the marijuana in a backpack, a jacket pocket, a suitcase, in a TV entertainment stand and a vacuum-sealed bag, along with a significant amount of cash, the prescription sedative promethazine, as well as drug paraphernalia (i.e., a "rolling tray" & packaging materials) - all of which was discovered in just one room of Holloway's apartment - - Authorities also found marijuana in a box and a drawer in a spare bedroom. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Aden Holloway situation for the Alabama men's basketball program? How does this affect the Crimson Tide as they prepare for the 2026 NCAA Tournament?. . .First Four: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer discuss & provide a detailed analysis of the First Four games of the 2026 NCAA Tournament that occurred on Tuesday & Wednesday evening, which included the following four (4) matchups: NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Midwest Region: No.16 UMBC Retrievers vs. No.16 Howard Bison NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: West Region: No.11 Texas Longhorns vs. No.11 NC State Wolfpack NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: South Region: No.16 Prairie View A&M Panthers vs. Lehigh Mountain Hawks NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Midwest Region: No.11 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks vs. No.11 SMU Mustangs - 2026 NCAA Tournament/March Madness Bracket Review & Prediction Showcase: In this particular segment, JD and Spencer review the NCAA Tournament first-round matchups that have already occurred - - as well as provide their individual projections/predictions for each of the remaining games in the first & second round (i.e., Round of 64/Round of 32). . .**Tune in as JD and Spencer will fill in their NCAA bracket throughout this particular segment - - Also, Be Sure to Share Your Picks for the 2026 NCAA Tournament with us via X/Twitter - @TraditionFinest - and/or by Send Us a Message at Traditions.Finest@gmail.com. . . - NBA - - "Records are Wilt[ing] Down:" The legendary Wilt Chamberlain owns one less NBA record thanks to Oklahoma City Thunder superstar guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - - Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, broke a record held Chamberlain for more than six (6) decades by scoring at least 20 points in 127 consecutive regular-season games - - His streak started on Nov.1, 2024, as he averaged 32.5 points in the 127 games - - Gilgeous-Alexander, or SGA, reached the NBA milestone in last Thursday's home game against the Boston Celtics, surpassing 20 points with a 20-foot jumper with 7:04 remaining in the 3rd QTR, eliciting a roar from the Paycom Center crowd - - He received a standing ovation and MVP chants during the next time out when the historic moment was recognized on Arena's videoboard - - SGA finished the game with 35 points & nine (9) assists in the Thunder's 104-102 win over the Celtics - - **NOTE: Gilgeous-Alexander, who won last season's scoring title and ranks second in the league, averaging 31.8 points per game this season, is on the verge of becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to score at least 30 points per game in four (4) consecutive NBA seasons - - His true shooting percentage of .669 would tie the highest in league history for a 30-point per-game scorer, matching Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry from his unanimous MVP season in 2015-16. . . - NFL - - The Minnesota Vikings agreed to a one-year contract with former Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, the team confirmed last Thursday afternoon (3/12) - - For Murray, the deal provides an opportunity to revitalize his career, and for the Vikings, it allows them to potentially elevate the QB play that largely doomed their 2025 season - - Minnesota will reportedly pay $1.3 million of Murray's $36.8 million salary for 2026, whereas the Arizona Cardinals will pay the remainder as part of their decision to release him last Wednesday: his new deal prohibits the Vikings from using a franchise or transition tag on him next offseason, sources told ESPN, which gives him a guaranteed path to NFL free agency next offseason if he elects to pursue it - - In Minnesota, Murray will have arguably the best supporting cast of his NFL career, which started in 2019 when the Cardinals selected him with the No.1 overall draft pick: he'll work with HC and play caller Kevin O'Connell, TE T.J. Hockenson and WRs Justin Jefferson & Jordan Addison, to improve the Vikings' offense next season - - Following the 2025 NFL regular season, O'Connell said that he wanted to find competition for starting QB J.J. McCarthy, who was the No.10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and finished last season with a 35.6 QBR in 10 starts - - Murray has been selected to two Pro Bowls and has accounted for 153 TDs in his career, but HC Kevin O'Connell was not willing to name him as the Vikings' starter in 2026. . .Q: What do you think of the move by the Minnesota Vikings to bring in QB Kyler Murray? Who will be the Minnesota Vikings starter next season: J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray?. . ."Fields, Great:" The Kansas City Chiefs found their newest backup QB for Patrick Mahomes on Monday, agreeing to send a 2027 sixth-round pick to the New York Jets to acquire Justin Fields, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter - - Without an experienced veteran after last year's backup Gardner Minshew signed with the Arizona Cardinals last week, the other QBs on the Chiefs' QB depth chart, Chris Oladokun & Jake Haener, have combined to start in just three (3) games at the professional level - - Fields, 27, wanted to continue his career in Kansas City, although other teams were interested in acquiring him, the sources reported to Schefter, after the Jets last week acquired QB Geno Smith in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, to become their new starter in 2026 - - To facilitate the trade, the Jets are paying $7 million of Fields' $10 million 2026 guaranteed salary, whereas Kansas City will pay the remaining $3 million, much like the Jets did when they traded for Smith last week - - Mahomes, a nine-year NFL veteran, is rehabbing after he underwent surgery in December to repair the torn ACL and LCL in his left knee - and while Mahomes is hoping to be available for the Chiefs' season opener, Fields is a mobile QB who will take on the responsibility of operating the offense under HC Andy Reid and OC Eric Bieniemy during the offseason and most likely much of NFL training camp - - Deemed expendable after the addition of Geno Smith, Fields' departure from the Jets franchise was long anticipated, as he struggled in his lone season with the franchise, which led to his benching on Nov. 17, after which, he never saw the field again, finishing the 2025 season on IR with a knee ailment that flared up after his demotion, ending another disastrous chapter in the Jets' long, winding search for a franchise-winning QB: Fields went 2-7 as a starter with the Jets, ranking 31st out of 36 passers in Total QBR (37.3), based on a minimum of 200 attempts - - He finished with seven (7) TD passes, one INT and 1,259 passing yards, including only 505 yards in his last five (5) starts - - A 2021 first-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears, Fields is 16-37 as an NFL starting QB, as the Chiefs will become Fields' fourth team in four (4) NFL seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts regarding the Kansas City Chiefs' acquisition of QB Justin Fields? Could this potentially lead to a resurgence and/or an overall shift in trajectory of Justin Fields' NFL career?. . ."A ...
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Tradition's Finest Episode 126 - The "One Shining Moment" Episode
Mar 1301:33:07Tap to summarizeWelcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 126 - The "One Shining Moment" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: Financial penalties will be imposed on schools that do not follow the new player availability reporting process in the upcoming NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments, according to the NCAA, who released a statement regarding the update last Wednesday - - **NOTE: For the first time ever, teams will be required to submit player availability information for NCAA tournament games- - If a school does not abide by this process, it will reportedly face potential fines: A first offense will result in a penalty of up to $10,000. . .the second offense is a fine up to $25,000. . .and the third offense includes a fine of up to $30,000 for the school and $10,000 for the program's head coach - as all penalties will be assessed after the tournament - - For this year's NCAA Tournament, teams must submit an initial report to the NCAA by 9 p.m. local time the night before a game is scheduled to occur, as well as provide an update two hours prior to the scheduled tip time on game day - Both reports must list players as one of three designations: (1) available, (2) questionable or (3) out. . .Players not listed as questionable (i.e., up to a 75% chance of playing) or out are assumed to be available to play - - **NOTE: Player availability reports have become required in the five (5) major conferences over the past couple of seasons, with the ACC, Big 12 and SEC posting their initial reports the night before a game, and the Big East & Big Ten conference(s) publishing their reports the morning of games - - This will be the first time player availability reports will be used for NCAA championships, with the men's and women's basketball tournaments serving as a pilot program for potential use in other sporting events - - The reports are "intended in part to reduce betting-related pressure, solicitations and harassment student-athletes and other team personnel receive from bettors connected to playing status," per the NCAA's statement - - HD Intelligence, a service for which several of the aforementioned conferences already use, will serve as the primary provider for player availability reporting services. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA's announcement regarding the mandated player availability reports, and their use throughout the men's and women's 2026 NCAA Tournament?. . ."31 & OH:" No.19 Miami (Ohio) RedHawks at Ohio Bobcats - - Miami (OH) closed out the regular season as the only unbeaten team in Division I men's college basketball, with guard Eian Elmer scoring a career-high 32 points & grabbing 12 rebounds in a gritty 110-108 road victory over in-state, MAC conference rival, Ohio, on Friday (3/6) night - - Peter Suder scored five (5) of his total 13 points in OT for the RedHawks (31-0, 18-0 MAC), which became the first program to complete an unblemished regular season since Gonzaga in 2021 - - Guard Trey Perry added 21 points and forward Brent Byers scored 15 for the RedHawks, who topped Akron (17-1 MAC) for the regular-season league title - - **NOTE: Despite its' magical season, Miami (OH) might need to win the MAC Conference tournament this week to guarantee themselves a spot and/or to become an automatic qualifier in this year's NCAA Tournament. . .Q: How do you feel about this particular subject: should the Miami (OH) RedHawks receive an "automatic bid" to the 2026 NCAA Tournament regardless of whether they or not they win the MAC Conference championship? - - Guard Jackson Paveletzke led Ohio (15-16, 9-9 MAC) with a career-high 37 points, while forwards Javan Simmons scored 30 and Aidan Holloway added 20 points as well, as the Bobcats closed out the regular season after losing three (3) consecutive games - - HC Travis Steele's squad had a bumpy stretch over its previous dozen games, with four (4) one-possession wins & two others that they won in OT - - This time, the story wasn't much different, as the RedHawks needed some late game heroics again to win in Athens for the first time in 15 years: Ohio forward Javan Simmons' basket off a missed shot by teammate Kirr Kuany gave the Bobcats a 108-107 lead with 26 seconds remaining in OT - - Miami guard Peter Suder then sank two FTs to put the RedHawks ahead, and guard Justin Kirby made another for the final margin - - The Bobcats had an opportunity to steal the game, but guard Jackson Paveletzke missed two shots in the final five (5) seconds that could have given Ohio the lead (and win), including a 3-pointer at the buzzer - - While the RedHawks capped off an impressive and historic 31-0 regular season and an insane 110-108 victory over in-state rival, Ohio, it was what occurred after the final buzzer that was even more enthralling: Chaos erupted in the Athens arena from both sides, with frustrated Ohio fans throwing trash onto the court and in the direction of the elated RedHawks, who returned the favor by giving them a "California hello," (aka, the bird/middle finger). . .Things only escalated as taunts were thrown back & forth between the two teams, as Ohio forward Aidan Hadaway was sent back to the locker room amid the chaos and was forced to skip the postgame handshake line. . .Miami guard Peter Suder, most notably, kept waving goodbye to the Ohio fans as he backed away from the crowd, while seemingly mouthing "F*** you, b—hes,". . .Q: What's your take on the chaos that erupted at the Ohio University arena following the Miami (OH) RedHawks' gritty OT victory? What are your thoughts on the on-court behavior/demonstrations of the RedHawks players, for instance, that of guard Peter Suder?. . .No.8 Michigan State Spartans at No.3 Michigan Wolverines - - Forward Yaxel Lendeborg scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half, and Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 18 points, leading No.3 Michigan in a 90-80 win and season sweep over "little brother" No.8 Michigan State on Sunday (3/8) to give the Big Ten regular-season champions a 15th straight conference victory - - The Wolverines (29-2, 19-1 Big Ten) are headed to the Conference tournament, hoping to earn a No.1 seed in March Madness, prior to shooting for the program's second national championship (and first since 1989) - - The Spartans (25-6, 15-5 Big Ten) were swept by their in-state rivals in the regular season, but might get another shot at the Wolverines this week in the Big Ten Conference tournament - - Lendeborg, a preseason All-America selection, was once again the best player on the court, on Sunday, as the UAB transfer shot 8-for-12 from the field, matched a career high with five (5) three-pointers, recorded three (3) assists & also made winning plays at the other end of the court defensively - - "A Dirty Play/Villain:" After Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. made a jumper to pull Michigan State within three (3) points with 3:47 remaining, Lendeborg made a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to start a 10-2 run that ultimately sealed the victory for the Wolverines - - Fears finished with 22 points & nine (9) assists, forward Jaxon Kohley matched a career high with 23 points as big man Carson Cooper added 19 points for the Spartans - - However, it was Fears, who once again drew unwanted attention for another kick toward an opponent's groin, as he was called for a technical foul after a video review clearly showed that he swung his right leg backward and into Wolverines' guard Elliot Cadeau. . .but this wasn't his first rodeo: when the Wolverines won the first matchup earlier this season, Fears appeared to intentionally trip Yaxel Lendeborg, and in the postgame press conference, Michigan HC Dusty May made mention of the "several dangerous," plays in the game, in reference to Fears' on-court antics. . .Q: Is Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. the modern version of former Duke Blue Devils' Grayson Allen (or former Michigan State forward Draymond Green)?. . ."NCAA College Basketball Championship Week:" The 2025-26 men's college basketball regular season is officially over, and Championship Week is in full swing: Conference tournaments are pitting member schools against one another for the right to represent their league as one of the 31 automatic qualifiers in this year's NCAA Tournament - - It all ends with the Big Ten Conference Tournament on Sunday, just before the full 68-team field for March Madness is revealed - - In this week's "Champ Week" segment, JD & Spencer introduce & discuss each of the men's basketball conference champions, to date, that have already punched their ticket this year's Big Dance: Ohio Valley Conference (OVC): Tennessee State Tigers (23-9) - - Third overall appearance (first since 1994) Northeast Conference (NEC): Long Island University (LIU) Sharks (23-10) - - Eighth overall appearance (first since 2018) Missouri Valley Conference (MVC): Northern Iowa Panthers (20-14) - - Ninth overall appearance (first since 2016) Big South Conference: High Point Panthers (30-4) - - Second straight appearance Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference: Queens University Royals (21-13) - - First overall appearance Summit League: North Dakota State Bison (21-13) - - Fifth overall appearance (first since 2019) <...
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