Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 144 - The "Run, Forrest, Run" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Football: Curt Cignetti has engineered the turnaround of the century - if not college football history - over the past two seasons at Indiana - but the lone "knock" on Cignetti thus far has been Indiana's lack of elite talent brought in from the recruiting classes — That all changed last Friday when the Hoosiers' HC secured the highest-rated commit in program history with a pledge from a top-rated 2027 WR, and five-star player, Monshun Sales, the No.18 player in the SC Next 300 — The 6-foot-5, 200-pound recruit from Indianapolis is ESPN's No.4 WR prospect in the 2027 cycle — He announced his commitment to the defending national champion Hoosiers over Texas, Alabama, Ohio State and LSU last Friday afternoon during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show." - - Sales, the state's No.1 overall high school recruit in 2027, is Indiana's highest-ranked player since eventual All-American Jaylon Smith signed with Notre Dame as ESPN's No.7 overall prospect in the 2013 class - as his commitment represents a seismic milestone in Cignetti's remarkable turnaround following Indiana's storybook run to the school's first football national title in January: Sales joins OLB Jalaythan Mayfield (No.235 overall prospect) and in-state OT, Mason McDermott (No.254) as the third SC Next 300 commit atop the Hoosiers' latest recruiting class — All told, Indiana currently holds pledges from 17 prospects in the cycle - and if Sales ultimately signs with the program later this year, he'll surpass Class of 2022 signee Dasan McCullough (No.43 in the 2022 SC Next 300) as the highest-ranked addition in school history, as Indiana's class now ranks as the No.47 bunch in the country - - Originally from the state of Alabama - where he adopted the nickname "Bama," - Sales is a two-way star at Indianapolis' Lawrence North High School, where he totaled 37 catches for 794 yards and nine (9) TDs as a junior last fall, adding 56 tackles on defense - - He also offers blazing track speed in at an astounding 10.81 in the 100 meters. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Curt Cignetti and Indiana securing its highest-rated recruit ever in five-star WR Monshun "Bama" Sales?. . .Missouri Tigers RB Ahmad Hardy has been medically cleared and is expected to make a full recovery from a gunshot wound to the leg, but his timetable for a return remains unclear, per Tigers' HC Eli Drinkwitz on Monday at the annual SEC Media Days event - - Hardy was shot in the upper leg back on May 10 while attending an outdoor concert at a biker club in his hometown of Laurel, Mississippi — Drinkwitz said Hardy is "on the road to recovery" and is fully healed from from the bullet that struck a bone in his leg - - Drinkwitz also indicated that the star RB's return-to-play protocol could take between five (5) to eight (8) weeks but that there are no guarantees about when Hardy will be able to return, and how he will play and/or his performance following the incident - - **NOTE: Hardy finished second among all FBS players in rushing last year with 1,649 rushing yards, and he scored 16 TDs while helping the Tigers finish the season with an 8-5 record. . .University of Michigan AD Warde Manuel will reportedly step down at the end of the 2026-27 calendar year, the University announced on Monday - - The school also released a summary of an independent investigation into the "culture" of the scandal-plagued AD, which concluded that issuers were not "widespread." - - Manuel, 58, has led the powerhouse program as AD for over a decade, a time for which the program saw numerous national champions [including in college football and men's college basketball] but also NCAA run-ins, legal issues involving assistant football coaches (i.e., Connor Stalions) and the 2025 firing of head football coach Sherrone Moore for having an inappropriate relationship with a staff member - - On Monday, it released an outline of the investigation that has already cost nearly $12 million - as it does not plan to release any additional documents, according to a board of regents spokesperson - - While the outline stated that the review identified "a series of structural, policy, and operational recommendations designed to strengthen accountability and organizational effectiveness," Michigan president Domenico Grasso responded by issuing a video statement, in which he was critical of the "culture, conduct, and procedures," of the AD, noting "significant challenges." - - Grasso said the school will empower both its compliance team and Human Resources department and also made mention of strengthening background checks after the review "also identified interference, poor oversight and failures of accountability of the highest levels of university leadership," and furthermore noted, that "this must change.". . . - MLB - - Nolan Arenado ripped a double down the left-field line for his 2,000th career hit Monday night, joining an elite club that includes some of the greatest players in baseball history - - **NOTE: The 35-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman became one of six (6) major leaguers with at least 2,000 hits, 350 homers and 10 Gold Glove awards — The others are Hall of Famers: Ken Griffey Jr., Willie Mayes, Mike Schmidt, Johnny Bench and Al Kaline - as Arenado said it was particularly gratifying to join a small fraternity that includes Schmidt, whom of which he personally considers to be the greatest third baseman to ever play in the league - - Arenado connected on a fastball from Oakland Athletics LHP Jeffrey Springs in the 5^th inning of a 5-2 loss and received a lengthy standing ovation from the crowd at Chase Field - - **NOTE: He is one of sic (6) active MLB players who have recorded at least 2,000 hits, joining Freddie Freeman, Jose Altuve, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt and Manny Machado - - The 10-time Gold Glove winner is in his first year with the Diamondbacks after an injury-filled 2025 season with St. Louis - - He was batting .244 with 13 HRs and a .739 OPS leading into Monday's game - - Arenado played his first eight (8) seasons with the Colorado Rockies before spending the next five (5) with the Cardinals - - Considered by many to be one of the greatest third baseman of his generation, the eight-time MLB All-Star has a .280 career batting average with 366 homers and 1,228 RBIs. . .The Boston Red Sox won their 15^th straight game to match a club record for the longest winning streak in team history from 80 years ago, beating the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 in the opener of a split doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon - - They equaled the 1946 American League champs, who were led by future Hall of Famer Ted Williams: Jarren Duran had a two-run triple and a sacrifice fly, and Calen Durbin - who hit a tiebreaking HR when they posted their 14^th straight victory on Monday - chipped in with a two-run single - - Ceddanne Rafaela added a solo HR for Boston in a makeup from Tuesday' rainout - - Christian Encarnacion-Strand had a solo homer for Baltimore, his second in two games, meanwhile, Red Sox rookie left-hander Jake Bennett (6-3) worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up three (3) runs - but unfortunately, he took a 102.5 mph hit ball off the stomach from Taylor Ward in the 5th, but he did remain in the game after being checked by a trainer - - **NOTE: Aroldis Chapman got the final three (3) outs for his 23^rd save and 390^th of his career, tying Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley for nine (9) all time - - Baltimore then turned the tables on Boston: as the Orioles ended the Red Sox' franchise-record-tying 15-game winning streak behind Kyle Bradish's six (6) innings of one-run ball, defeating Boston 5-1 in the nightcap of a doubleheader on Wednesday - - It was Boston's first loss since a 10-2 game contest against the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park on July 1. . . - NBA - - "Curry's HOF Exhibit:" The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will launch a new exhibit this weekend dedicated to Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, representing the first time in the nearly 75-year history than an active player will be honored within the walls with a dedicated exhibit: The exhibit, titled "Stephen Curry: Beyond the Arc," will open to the public in Springfield, MA on Friday, as it will include Olympic and championship artifacts, game-worn gear and archival footage of Curry's journey from an unheralded prospect to a decorated four-time NBA champion - - Curry is about to enter his 18^th professional season in the NBA and has stated that he intends to play at least two more - and he is expected to engage in extension talks with the Warriors once he becomes eligible in late August. . .Q: Are you surprised that Stephen Curry is the first player to receive such an honor, even prior to LeBron James?. . - Miscellaneous - - PGA: Ryan Fox, 39, of New Zealand survived a wild ride along the back nine (9) at Royal Birkdale and delivered the biggest putt of his life Sunday, making a 12-foot birdie on the 18^th (and final) hole to win The Open Championship for his first major title, closing with a 2-unde...