Take It E.Z. Sports Show: Recent Episodes
Take It E.Z. Sports show
The Take It E.Z. Sports Show brings together two members of the Arizona high school sports media community, Eric Newman and Zach Alvira. The two discuss the biggest headlines each week, recap games and interview fellow members of the media.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman are back for episode 120 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys talk brackets in the men's NCAA Tournament, and lament not doing very well so far.
Eric and Zach are also watching high school sports as the spring seasons roll on, and the beach volleyball rankings are live.
Zach and Eric return for Episode 119 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys start by talking all about the winter AZ high school athletics champions.
They go over the first bit of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, before talking about the best thing they ate in the last week.
After some internet issues, Zach and Eric are back for Episode 118 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys bring on Jacob Seliga, staff at Arizona Varsity. They start by discussing NBA All-Star Weekend. Surprise, Eric thought most of it sucked.
The guys go on to talk high school soccer and basketball playoffs, going in depth on brackets heading into the final rounds.
Eric and Zach return for episode 117 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys discuss the week surrounding the Super Bowl in Glendale, including Radio Row and the game itself.
Then Zach and Eric talk about high school basketball, wrestling and soccer playoffs.
Eric and Zach are back for Episode 116 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
It's another one of the meandering episodes, as the guys talk Super Bowl, high school playoffs in Arizona and the best thing they ate in the last week.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman are back for Ep. 115 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys start with a favorite segment: Get to Know the Z-man.
Eric and Zach go on to talk high school basketball and soccer, before ending with the best thing they ate in the last week.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys spend a few minutes talking about the danger of sports, coming on the heels of Damar Hamlin's injury for the Buffalo Bills.
Then the guys welcome Jacob Seliga on to talk high school basketball around Arizona.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The boys start by talking all about winter sports, the recent stories they've been working on, and what they're excited for in the near future.
Eric and Zach then talk about the holiday basketball tournaments later this month, and what they're looking forward to for the rest of the Arizona high school basketball season.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman are back for AZV and the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys quickly discuss Arizona high school football championship games from last weekend, and meander around other topics briefly.
Then the duo welcomes Jason Skoda of Williams Field High School to talk about the student newspaper -- The Talon -- that he helped create at WFHS.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 111 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
It's finally the weekend for Arizona high school football state championship games.
The guys preview ALA-Gilbert North vs. Snowflake in the 4A Championship before welcoming a special guest.
Joseph Ortiz, coach of Perry football and former coach at Cactus and Higley, joins the show to preview the 5A Conference title game between his two former schools. He takes the guys through a typical week leading up to a championship game, before previewing the 6A and Open playoff bout.
The guys finish the day with the best thing they ate in the last week, and coach puts the hosts to shame.
The guys are back for Episode 110 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
Zach and Eric begin talking about the World Cup, and the United States men advancing from the group stage with a win over Iran.
Then the guys welcome Chilly in to talk about Arizona high school football's playoff semifinals. Chilly and Zach also show off some shoes.
Do you believe? Because neither of the hosts of the Take it EZ Sports Show are sure if they do or not.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman talk high school championships in volleyball and cross country before diving into high school football playoffs.
They finish with the best thing they ate/drank in the last week, and Eric's answer may shock you.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 108 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys start with some talk about Hard Knocks, as it begins its season with the Arizona Cardinals.
Then Eric and Zach get into volleyball playoffs, swim state titles and eventually the final week of the high school football regular season.
Finally, the guys talk about the best thing they ate in the last week. Shout out to Herr Thompson at Mayo High School.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman are back for episode 107 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys meander about the latest week before talking about Arizona high school sports. First, the guys go through volleyball brackets at all levels, then Eric and Zach take a turn into football rankings.
Eric and Zach finish with talking about the best thing they ate this week, and talk about eating Kiths (Please give Z-Man one when you see him).
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 106 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
Eric makes an important political point to start off.
The guys talk playoffs and rankings for several high school sports. Then they go over the last few weeks of AZ football rankings as the season winds down.
Then, Eric and Zach finish with the best thing they ate this week.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 105 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys start with Cardinals, Suns and other Arizona pro sports talk.
Then Eric and Zach go through high school volleyball and football as the season nears the end.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 104 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys run through recent football games, and talk about the Open Playoffs in Arizona high school football.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 103 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys recap a weekend in Phoenix before jumping right into high school football as the season hits the midway point. Eric and Zach talk Liberty vs. Basha, Casteel vs. Chandler and other major matchups.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 102 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
In Episode 102, the guys spend time dissecting the Sports Illustrated article about the state of high school football -- good and bad -- in Arizona. There was a lot to think about, and Eric and Zach take some time to inspect all of it.
The guys finish with the best thing they ate this week, and the worst baseball pitch of all time.
The guys are back for Episode 101 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
Eric and Zach welcome Sports360AZ's Jordan Hamm to talk about the recent coaching change with Arizona State Sun Devils football. Can coach Shaun Aguano succeed under the interim tag after the departure of Herm Edwards?
Z-man and Eric finish the episode with some high school football talk and the best thing they ate this week.
Eric and Zach celebrate 100 episodes with AZV teammates Ralph Amsden and Chilly.
The guys meander about sports, life and other frivolities.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for Episode 98 of the Take it EZ Sports Show. The guys welcome in Jacob Seliga, and they meander at first about the weird people they encounter on social media.
The show talks more about the Hamilton Huskies football team and alleged recruiting violations.
Finally, the crew talks about the best thing they ate this week, and Eric gets unnecessarily worked up.
Zach and Eric are back for Episode 97, having messed up recording and uploading for last week's show.
The guys talk some of the new rules for high school sports in Arizona, as discussed by the AIA. Then they talk some of the controversy surrounding Hamilton football.
The guys finish by meandering about sports, twitter, and dibs, as well as the best thing they ate this week was.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for Episode 95 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys discuss the past week before welcoming Arizona Varsity's Cody Cameron back to the show to laugh and sort of talk high school football.
The boys finish up with the best thing they ate this week.
Eric and Zach return for Episode 94 of the Take it EZ Sports Show. The guys do a draft of who they'd want on a Family Feud team of Arizona high school sports media, and it gets a bit out of hand toward the end.
Z-man and Eric finish with some more high school football schedule talk and end with the best things they ate this week.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 93 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
In this episode, the Z-Man is the therapist man, as he answers all sorts of life's toughest questions for Eric. Then the guys meander into football schedules, the best things they ate this week, and a couple listener questions.
Eric and Zach are back for another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. On this week’s show, the guys catch up and take a look at the first week of the upcoming Arizona high school football season. They then dive into their favorite food of the week and Eric goes on a long tangent about tennis that turns weird.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 91 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys catch up with Andrew Morgan, former intern and future Arizona Wildcats football staffer, before recapping Flight Club in Maricopa.
They finish, as always, talking about the best thing they ate in the last week.
Eric and Zach are back for another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network! This week, Eric brings back his favorite segment, ‘Get to know the Z-Z-Z-Z-Z Man-n-n-n,’ where he puts Zach on the spot with mind-boggling questions. The guys then talk about Section 7 coming up at State Farm Stadium the weekend of June 16-19, as Eric helps Zach pick out shoes for him to wear.
They then wrap things up with listener questions and the best thing they ate in the last week.
Eric and Zach are back for Episode 88 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
After last week's audio and internet trouble, the guys are in good form for this episode.
Zach and Eric talk summer football, recent stories and more, including the best thing they ate in the past week.
Eric and Zach are back after a month hiatus for an episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. The guys kick off the show by catching up with each other and share where they’ve been. They then dive into the spring sports championships and talk spring/summer football. Also mentioned in this episode is the Suns’ Game 7 collapse, sports trading cards making a furious comeback and media 1-on-1s at Chilly’s Flight Club this summer.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for Episode 85 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys talk NBA, spring sports, and some recent stories they've been working on.
Eric and Zach are back for another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. This week, the guys recap the NCAA Men’s and Women’s championship games, the Suns’ making history with a win over the Lakers and spring sports. The guys also take a trip down memory lane to two years ago when the sports world stops due to the onset of the pandemic.
Eric and Zach return for Episode 83 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys talk about the Final Four of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, take some time to roast the AZV interns, and go over spring sports.
Zach and Eric return for episode 82 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys fill out NCAA tournament brackets and talk a bit about high school baseball before talking about the best things they ate in the last week.
Eric and Zach are back for yet another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. The guys recap the boys and girls high school basketball championships and Eric shares his displeasure with Loyola Chicago and Sister Jean back in the tournament yet again.
The guys then go over spring sports before sharing what they ate in the last two weeks.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 80 of the Take it EZ Sports Show on the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network, presented by AALL.net.
The guys spend plenty of time talking about the playoff boys basketball game between Mesquite and St. Mary's that ended in crazy fashion, before getting into the end of the winter sports season for basketball and soccer.
Eric and Zach are back for episode No. 79 of the Take it EZ Sports Show. The guys kick off the show by diving deep into the Super Bowl, including the outcome of the game, who they thought/wanted to win and of course, the big halftime show. Was this the best halftime show ever and do any others compare? The guys answer that question and more, including who may perform next year when the Super Bowl comes to the Valley on the same weekend as the WM Phoenix Open, in this week’s show.
The guys also highlight the winter sports playoffs with some real-time soccer scores for the boys before sharing the best thing they ate in the last week.
Eric and Zach return for Episode 78 of the Take it EZ Sports Show on the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network.
The guys spend maybe too much time talking 90's movies, take on winter sports as they head to playoffs, and discuss some of the best things they've eaten recently.
Eric and Zach are back for yet another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network.
The guys kick off the show recapping the craziness that was the NFL Divisional Round then dive into all of the coaching changes and latest rumors surrounding the Arizona high school coaching carousel (4:50). The guys then transition into winter sports (20:02) for an update from Flagstaff and around the Valley as well as some special shoutouts to Flagstaff’s Gracelyn Nez, Highland’s Knollmiller brothers, Desert Vista’s Lauren Ping and Chandler’s Dominic Raiola.
Eric and Zach share their thoughts on the upcoming playoffs, merging high school sports seasons and how hectic it can be (27:41). They wrap up the show with their favorite thing they ate in the last week (39:58).
Eric and Zach return for Episode 75 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The pair talk high school basketball and soccer rankings, mentioning some of the top teams in each conference and who's playing well at the moment.
Then, Chilly joins the show to talk football coaching changes around Arizona. There could be some major movement coming soon!
The trio finish the show talking about shoes, apparel and more.
Eric and Zach are back for their first episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show of the new year. The guys discuss where they’ve been the last two weeks before diving in to some high school basketball talk, including midseason tournaments returning (11:52) and some contenders in each conference, including Gilbert (14:57), Hamilton (19:34) and others (20:50). The guys also mention some contenders in girls basketball (24:58) and soccer (27:54) before Eric goes on a rant about Fantasy Football (35:27) The guys wrap up the show with Arizona Varsity’s 4A (40:00) and 5A (46:15) postseason awards before everyone’s favorite segment, the best thing they ate in the last two weeks (52:37).
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira and the Take it EZ Sports Show collabs with Chilly's 2-piece for a super episode.
Chilly opens the show talking about shoes, basketball, a bit of high school football and more before Eric joins the show (2:50) to talk about what he's been up to with his work in Flagstaff, and Zach jumps on shortly after (4:50) to talk basketball and TV habits. The guys talk 4A Conference football (15:27) between Casa Grande and Poston Butte, 5A (26:30) between Horizon and Salpointe Catholic, 6A (40:00) between Highland and Chaparral and Highland playing an extra game for the Hawks (42:10). After the other games, the trio discusses Open playoffs (52:30) and look forward to next season. Finally, each member of the show talks about what their favorite thing they ate this week was (1:05:37) and wraps up the show.
Eric and Zach are back for another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show and they’re talkin’ championship football in Arizona. The guys kick off the show reminiscing about the season and how it is officially coming to a close before jumping into their biggest takeaway from the semifinal round last week, which involves praise for Casa Grande (4:23). The guys then highlight Poston Butte’s win over Glendale in the semifinals that put the Broncos in the 4A title game for the first time ever against the Cougars (8:14). The guys then go on to highlight Salpointe Catholic’s win over Desert Edge in one 5A semifinal (11:15) and Horizon’s win over Desert Mountain (14:48) in the other before moving on to Highland beating Red Mountain(20:40) and Chaparral beating Williams Field in 6A (27:21). And of course, Eric and Zach highlight Chandler’s come-from-behind victory over Liberty (30:08) and Saguaro’s upset win over Hamilton (35:30) before highlighting the matchups that can be seen during Hoophall West taking place this week at Chaparral and Footprint Center (40:13) and wrapping up the show(49:01).
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for Episode 71 of the Take it EZ Sports Show presented by Arizona Varsity and AALL.net.
The guys open up the show with some high school basketball talk (3:45) with some games they went to and who to look out for this season.
At 9:40, Zach and Eric talk high school football quarterfinals and upcoming semifinals including 4A (10:00), 5A (13:40) and 6A (17:23).
Jacob Seliga joins the show to chat about coleslaw and the 2A and 3A Conference football championship games (21:08). The trio talks Open playoff semifinals (37:50) with apologies to Saguaro.
Eric and Zach finish with a recap of what they ate for Thanksgiving (56:50) and wrap up the show. (1:02:19)
Episode 70
Eric and Zach are back for another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show. This week, the guys are previewing the 2A (4:05) championship between Morenci and Arizona Lutheran and the 3A title game between Snowflake and Yuma Catholic (4:48), both of which on Saturday. The guys then go over the scores from the first round of the 4A playoffs (10:01) and give their predictions for the quarterfinal round. They do the same for 5A (16:01) and 6A (23:13) before moving on to preview and give their predictions for the Open Division (31:41). The guys then talk high school hoops (48:43) before Zach reminds every one of the wager he and Chilly have for teams to bring coleslaw to Jacob Seliga (52:23) and the guys wrap up the show with their favorite Thanksgiving dish (55:04).
Breakdown: (63 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for episode 69 of the Take it EZ Sports Show on the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network.
Eric and Zach talk about high school volleyball championship games (5:30) before getting into the rivalry football games they saw last Friday (14:00) between Coconino and Flagstaff, as well as the Tukee Bowl between Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe. Then, as the playoffs near, the guys talk playoffs (24:00) including 4A, 5A (29:00), 6A (32:40) and the Open (39:00) before bringing on Arizona Varsity's Chilly to go even more in depth on the season. Finally, Zach and Eric wrap up the show (56:45) with some cross country mentions, what they ate this week, and even mention USA National Team soccer's big win over the weekend!
Breakdown: (75 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the ArizonaVarsity Podcast Network and presented by AALL.net. The guys kick off this week’s show talking about how fast the fall season has come and is nearly gone. The guys congratulate the2021 badminton champions (5:22), swimming champions (5:45) and go over quarterfinal scores from 4A-6A volleyball matches (8:21). At the 13:55 mark, Eric shares what he saw last week from the comfort of his couch while Zach shares his insight from the Tucson-Dobson game last Thursday and Chandler-Highland on Friday. Zach also makes yet another case for Highland tobe in the Open Division (16:28). The guys start going over the latest rankings as the end of the regular season nears beginning with 4A (20:25), then 5A (23:17), 6A (24:21) and the Open Division (25:26). Zach shares some insight on this year’s Tukee Bowl between Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista (37:30) and Chilly joins in to join the discussion. The three share predictions for the Tukee Bowl (40:45), FlagCoco (51:57) and the Battle for Arizona Avenue between Chandler and Hamilton (53:45). The guys wrap up the show sharing what the best thing they ate was and Eric gets mad (1:09.47).
Breakdown: (54 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for the episode 67 of the Take it EZ Sports Show on the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network and presented by AALL.net.
The guys open the show with listener comments (1:00) and meander in their conversation about Queen and the Atlanta Braves (among other things) before talking about the firing of Kerry Taylor at San Tan Charter (5:50).Then Eric and Zach talk about the games they went to last week (12:00) and speak briefly about upsets (18:30) and rankings all the way from Open to 4A (21:00). 3A and 2A playoffs are coming, and the guys blindly (sort of) guess who's going to win the first round games in the two brackets (33:30). Zach and Eric talk NCAA football rankings (44:00) and what they ate this week (48:30) before closing out the show.
Breakdown: (75 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. Zach kicks off the show sharing an embarrassing story before the guys jump right into highlighting last week’s high school football scores from Thursday (4:55) and Friday’s 6A (6:27), 5A (12:00), 4A (17:00), 3A (21:22) and the 2A (25:18) games. At the 32:10-mark, Arizona Varsity CEO Chilly joins the show to discuss all the current rankings and Chilly shares his dark horses in the 4A through Open. Zach and Eric wrap things up with a quick chat about the Arizona Cardinals and whether they are legitimate Super Bowl contenders this season (1:09:00).
Breakdown: (75 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for Episode 65 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show for Arizona Varsity.
The guys talk about one of Eric's pet peeves before welcoming listeners to the show (2:35). Then the pair talks about the past week of high school football, including the games they saw this week (6:00) when Eric was at Coconino vs. Prescott and Zach saw Basha vs. Mountain Pointe and Saguaro vs. Sierra Canyon, and scores from 2A (16:00), 3A (17:45) including a question about Eastmark, 4A (21:25), 5A (22:48), 6A (24:45). Then, Zach and Eric talk about high school football rankings in 3A (28:15), 4A (30:00), 5A (33:53), 6A (35:00) Open (39:00). AZV intern Jacob Seliga joins the show to discuss Open rankings (41:55) and his recent piece for the website on Suns center DeAndre Ayton's contract (57:54). The guys wrap up the show with an AALL.net ad read and talk about what they ate this week. (1:13:30)
Breakdown: (50 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. The guys spiced things up a bit as they went live on Twitter and Facebook for this week’s show, something they will do going forward. On this episode, they look over 6A scores (3:10) from Week 6 of the Arizona high school football season and highlight a few of the key matchups in the state’s top conference, including Centennial-Williams Field (4:21), Hamilton-Chaparral (6:20) and Higley-Desert Ridge (8:48). The guys also look back at some of the scores from 5A, including Horizon’s win over Apollo (11:54) before jumping into 4A scores (15:06), 3A (18:10) and 2A (18:58) before Eric shouts out Paradise Honors quarterback Gage Baker (19:37). At the 20:30 mark, Arizona Varsity Head Football Analyst Cody Cameron joins the show to discuss the Open Division rankings. And at the 47:38 mark, Chilly jumps on for the first-ever 2Piece Preview before discussing what the best thing the three ate in the last week.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for yet another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity podcast network. The guys start the show talking about weird viral trends before recapping some of the transfers that are eligible this upcoming week (3:25). At the 5:00 mark, Zach and Eric recap some of the 6A’s biggest games from last week, including Mountain Pointe vs Buena (5:54), Centennial vs Shadow Ridge (6:37), Queen Creek vs Williams Field (8:53) and Highland vs Desert Vista (10:17). The guys then jump into 5A (13:25) and highlight Campo Verde’s win over Cienega (14:25), Horizon’s win over Millennium (15:14), Kellis’ win over Kofa (17:36) and Saguaro vs Salpointe Catholic (19:25).
The guys then jump down to 4A (21:19), where Zach shares what he saw from Angel Flores and Casa Grande (21:31). They also highlight other 4A contests, including Flagstaff vs Winslow (23:42), Cactus vs Poston Butte (28:29), Show Low vs Combs (28:59), Deer Valley vs Walden Grove (29:32) and ALA – Queen Creek vs ALA – Gilbert North (31:38). The guys then discuss Thunderbird’s mascot change (32:06) before jumping into 3A (33:44) and 2A (36:33) scores. The show comes to a close with some NAU (40:16), ASU (42:25), Cardinals (46:25), Fantasy Football (46:48) and what they ate in the last week (56:37).
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for the latest episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show!
Eric and Zach talk about some breaking news with Coconino football (0:40), and welcome listeners into the show by talking about Zach's new home (1:45) before getting into high school football.
The guys talk about some of the scores in 6A football from the past week (4:40) before diving into the Chandler vs. Liberty game (6:45). Then the guys discuss 5A scores and headlines (13:00) and specifically the scoring anomaly between Willow Canyon and Kofa (16:45) and Chaparral's rivalry game against Saguaro (21:50).
Then, the guys move on to 4A scores from the weekend (31:45) and get into Cactus's convincing win over Sunrise Mountain and how it affects the open standings (36:06). 3A and 2A are next (42:10).
Following those scores, Zach and Eric discuss the Open Division (48:45) as well as the most important topic: Some of the best food they ate this week (53:27).
Eric and Zach also answer some Twitter questions for the first time in several episodes (55:38), which leads Zach to give a PSA to Andrew Morgan (1:03:45) which leads to a discussion about fantasy football.
AALL.net is the sponsor of the show (1:13:13) and Eric and Zach wrap up the show with a goal for the listening audience!
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for yet another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show and the guys are recapping what was a wild week of Arizona high school football. The guys go in depth on some of the featured games from around the state, including Chandler vs O’Connor (1:30), Coconino vs Cactus Shadows (6:50) and Horizon’s overtime win over Desert Edge (8:45). The guys also talk about an unfortunate situation that took place between McClintock and Marcos de Niza (13:00) before Eric shares what he saw between Flagstaff and Mingus (14:50). Other notable games highlighted include Boulder Creek vs Millennium (16:45), Centennial vs Mountain Ridge (18:20), Liberty vs Sunrise Mountain (27:40) and arguably the biggest of them all, Hamilton’s amazing come-from-behind win over Bishop Gorman (30:42) and what the Battle for Arizona Avenue could look like at the end of the season (39:50). The guys wrap the show with the best thing they ate in the last week (44:00).
Breakdown: (46 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for episode 60 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show, presented by AALL.net.
(1:30) Zach discusses a recent game between Desert Vista and Perry. Then he gets into Mountain Pointe football's resurgence in the past few weeks (6:35), a recent game between Campo Verde and Cactus Shadows (10:00).Then, after a week off, Eric finally got to a game on Friday. He talks about Flagstaff's 48-0 victory over Washington (12:10), and specifically the play of seniors Spencer Smith and Bodie Maier. Then, he talks about Coconino football, and their mindset having missed the first two weeks of the high school football season. (15:15) Then, Zach talks Chandler versus Cherry Creek (16:40)
Eric and Zach discuss a bit of their coverage of college football, before talking about the games they're covering and paying attention to this Friday. (23:00). Eric will see Coconino and Cactus Shadows, while Zach will be in Chandler as Hamilton takes on Bishop Gorman.
Then (32:30) Zach brings up a game that almost happened between Cactus and Desert Vista.
With more football ahead, the guys talk college football (35:20), Cardinals (36:10) and (begrudgingly for Eric) fantasy football (37:00). Finally, Zach tells the audience the best thing he ate this week (42:50) before wrapping up.
Breakdown: (68 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for episode 59 of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. The guys open the show sharing their excitement for virtually all high school football programs in the state getting started this week. Eric shares what he saw at Flagstaff’s scrimmage against Lake Havasu this past weekend (1:37). Zach then highlights Arizona College Prep’s season opener against Sabino last Friday and some of the players who stood out to him from Sabino, including Levi Miranda, Cameron Hackworth and Kenneth Blackman (2:30). Eric and Zach then highlight the games they are looking forward to in Week 6 (8:08), Week 7 (29:30) and Week 8 (40:20) of the football season. At the 49:10 mark, Eric is forced to do the two things he hates the most, predict the matchup for every championship game this season before the two share the eight teams they believe will make the Open Division Playoffs (1:00:08).
Breakdown: (59 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for Episode 58 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
In this episode, the guys start by talking about Zach's big career announcement. He will be teaching a course at ASU, his alma mater, in sports journalism as an adjunct in the fall semester.
Then, Eric and Zach talk AALL.net before taking a deep dive into intriguing matchups in weeks 2-5 of the upcoming Arizona high school football season.
Breakdown: (58 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for yet another episode of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. On this episode, the guys share their thoughts on the Suns’ free agency moves as the new NBA league year approaches (1:47). At the 6:16 mark, Zach and Eric talk local Olympians before highlighting their favorite opening week matchups for the 1A through 6A Arizona high school football conferences (8:53). What teams make the cut for the best overall matchups? What games will Zach and Eric be at when the football season officially begins? The guys wrap up the show by sharing the best thing they ate in the last week (52:36), and Zach foreshadows an announcement coming next week as he takes yet another step in his journalism career (56:56).
Breakdown: (64 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for Episode 56 of the Take it EZ Sports Show.
The guys start off by quickly eulogizing the Phoenix Suns' season, discussing the beginning of high school sports coming, and talk at length about their favorite events at the Summer Olympics. Then, Eric interviews his sister, Edie Newman, who is the youngest of the Newman siblings and spent the last two years as a Division 1 swimmer at Tulane University in New Orleans. Finally, Zach and Eric talk about the interview with Edie and discuss their favorite things they ate this week.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back for yet another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show. On this episode, Zach explains why he was MIA for the last couple of weeks (31 seconds). Eric also provides an update on the fires and flooding in Flagstaff (1:05) and Zach shares how his football team won the state championship in honor of his coach who recently passed away after a battle with cancer (3:30). At the 10:35 mark, the guys share their excitement level for the fall high school sports season being just over a month away and Eric shares a community service project the two local Flagstaff high schools got involved in due to the flooding (11:30). And of course, Zach and Eric try to dissect exactly what is going on with the Phoenix Suns as they have now lost three in a row to the Milwaukee Bucks and trail 3-2 in the NBA Finals (13:40). Before wrapping up the show, Zach and Eric talk the start of the Cardinals, Arizona State and NAU football seasons (33:41) and touch on an interesting subject as the fall sports season nears (38:10) while transitioning into crazy stat lines from past games (44:10).
Breakdown: (75 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira are back yet again for the latest episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity podcast network. Eric shares how his official move to Flagstaff was now that he is settled in his new place (19 seconds) before the guys get into Suns-Clipper Game 5 and bantering LA “fans.” Eric, much like he did with Sister Jean from Loyola Chicago, expresses his distaste with the “Suns in 4” guy (4:20) before they touch on Hawks-Bucks (13:40). At 14 minutes, 37 seconds, the argument between Zach and Chilly everyone was waiting for surrounding DeAndre Ayton’s importance to the Suns. Zach and Eric discuss who they believe will come out of the East (53:55), the importance of the supreme court’s decision to allow college athletes to be paid for the name, image and likeness (58:11) and that somehow leads to discussions about bad NBA 2K nicknames (1:09.45). To wrap up the show, Eric discusses what’s happenin’ in Flagstaff (1:10.40) and the guys share what their favorite thing they ate in the last week (1:13.10).
Breakdown: (71 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira open this week's episode by catching up and talking about the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, as well as Just Chilly's Flight Club, before welcoming Eric's dad Jamie Newman on for his second appearance on the show (18:45). The trio talk sumo wrestling, the weather in Minnesota, and get into COVID-19 in MN.
Then Eric and Zach talk about Section 7 basketball (43:30) at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, and go over some of their favorite ice cream and cold desserts.
Breakdown: (54 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira open The Take it EZ Sports Show highlighting what they saw in the Suns’ Game 2 blowout of the Denver Nuggets. At 6:45, Zach and Eric discuss a possible expansion to the College Football Playoff and whether 12 teams are too much or the perfect amount to bring a little more excitement to the season. The guys also highlight camp season (18-minute mark) as several athletes from across the state flock to football camps with the recruiting dead period officially over and pause … Zach brings up some suspect Twitter interactions (22-minute mark). The guys also shoutout a local basketball program for their outstanding summer basketball uniforms (29-minute mark), the Section 7 basketball tournament in Glendale and Eric shares what is going on up north (41-minute mark). A new intern is joining Zach to help out with East Valley coverage (43-minute mark), and the guys share what they ate in the last week and honor two fallen East Valley assistant coaches (44:30 mark).
Breakdown: (55 minutes)
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira open the Take it EZ Sports Show recapping their week and talking about the Suns series against the Los Angeles Lakers. At 13:00, Chilly joins the show to talk about Flight Club, his 7-on-7 tournament in Maricopa. Baseball and softball have their all-star games coming up, and the guys break down what they think (minute 27). Eric is getting used to his new coverage area in Flagstaff, and discusses Coconino boys hoops, Flagstaff girls hoops, Little League baseball and NAU track and field (38 minute-mark). To close the show, Zach and Eric share their favorite meals from the past week.
Eric and Zach are back after a two-week hiatus for episode 50 of the Take it EZ Sports Show. The guys run through all of the spring sports teams that were crowned champions over the last couple of weeks, including Liberty’s run to the 6A baseball title, Desert Mountain in 5A and Mesquite in 4A. The guys also highlight Xavier’s dominance and a couple of growing West Valley powers in softball. Eric and Zach also ask the question, who will dethrone Chandler in track & field after yet another dominating performance by both the girls and boys? All of that and more on this episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, sponsored by AALL.net and part of the Arizona Varsity podcast network.
Zach and Eric are back for yet another episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show. The guys highlight the ongoing spring high school playoffs in Arizona, and interview Alec Simpson about his new gig with Catapult Sports and all things California high school football in relation to Arizona. They also preview what should be an exciting week of spring ball showcases... and how ‘bout them Suns?
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for Episode 48 of the Take it EZ Sports Show. In this episode, the guys talk NFL draft, AZ high school sports playoffs and Zach's adult football team.
Zach and Eric are back for Episode 47 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show, part of the Arizona Varsity podcast network. Zach checks in with Eric after he officially began his new gig as sports editor of the Arizona Daily Sun. The two highlight a couple of baseball games they attended this week as well as the latest rankings. Zach and Eric also touch base with Arizona Varsity Intern Andrew Morgan and discuss his documentary, Inside the Hive with TrueBuzz West Coast, a 7-on-7 team filled with Arizona talent.
In this episode, the guys dive into some international listener questions, even highlight a few voicemails from around the world! Then, Eric and Zach discuss the release of Arizona high school football schedules, make some predictions and speak about some great games to look forward to in the fall. Then, the guys finish with some more Twitter questions.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 45 of the Take it EZ Sports Show on the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network.
In this episode, the guys dive into Eric's move and next step in his career as the sports editor for the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff, as well as how Zach could have ruined Eric's announcement. Then Eric and Zach interview Arizona Varsity lead football analyst Cody Cameron about recruiting and the recent Under Armour All American Camp. Last, the guys finish with a March Madness bracket update and take some listener questions.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman are back for another episode of the Take It EZ Sports Show, highlighting championship weekend for winter sports in Arizona. The guys highlight performances from several athletes and share their thoughts on the shortened season. Eric and Zach also answer listener questions from Twitter. Eric wraps up the show with a rare outburst sharing his hatred for a beloved college basketball figure. Trust us when we say it’s not something you want to miss.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira return for Episode 43 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show on the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network. The pair ramble for a few minutes, touching on college hoops briefly, before interviewing coach Lucas Ramirez of the Saguaro High School boys basketball team that won the region in his first season. Then Zach and Eric discuss AIA high school playoffs.
On the latest episode of the Take it EZ Sports Show, Eric and Zach talk NBA All-Star weekend, or should we say, Sunday? The two highlight the excitement – or lack thereof – from the skills competition, three-point contest and dunk contest held at halftime of the All-Star Game. The two also address the Meyers Leonard situation and dive deep into Arizona high school winter sports playoffs.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for Episode 41 of the Take it EZ Sports Show. The guys give an inside look at Zach, A.K.A. the Z-Man. Then, after Z-Man is sufficiently annoyed, he and Eric discuss the Cardinals signing JJ Watt, as well as top teams and dark horses in the last week of the AIA high school basketball regular season.
On the latest episode of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show, Eric and Zach celebrate episode No. 40 and Zach goes all out in celebration of Eric surpassing 1,000 followers on Twitter by surprising Eric with messages from Team AZV, media members, a local coach and a special guest thatcatches Eric by surprise. The guys also recognize Corona del Sol’s own Saban Lee for his outstanding performance for the Detroit Pistons, Devin Booker’s All-Star snub and the latest with winter sports rankings and playoff implications as the postseason nears.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 39 of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show and dish on their unnecessary and unwanted Valentine's Day advice. They also answer few listener questions and ramble about the Suns.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 38 of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show and hash out some beef between the two on their thoughts about The Weeknd’s Super Bowl halftime performance. They also go over a few of their favorite commercials from the big game, go over the championship schedule for winter high school sports in Arizona and answer listener questions.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 37 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show. On this episode of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show, Eric and Zach discuss signing day for local athletes, a certain big football game coming up (it may or may not rhyme with 'Cooper Scroll'). The guys also take a look at a couple stories in Arizona high school sports and answer listener questions.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 36 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show.
On this episode of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show, Eric and Zach discuss whether parents of away teams should be allowed to attend high school sporting events in case of emergency. The guys also take a look at the standings across boys and girls basketball and soccer now two weeks into the season. Later on in the show, Eric and Zach discuss Grand Canyon University’s surprising decision to up attendance numbers for its basketball game against New Mexico State, and Eric shares his disdain with the thought of attending a professional sporting event despite COVID-19 case numbers on a slow decline.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 35 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show.
On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Zach, and Eric dive deep into AIA basketball as the season begins this week. The boys talk about some of their top teams and players, and how they think the season will shape up.
Give it a listen and follow ArizonaVarsity for more content and information.
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On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Zach and Eric discuss the back-and-forth about winter sports and share their thoughts about the season now approved to begin on Jan. 18 after previously being canceled. The two also dive deep into a heated discussion about threats made to board members and some parents’ inability to wear a mask for the sake of their kids having a season. The two also answer listener questions on Twitter and highlight the Ed Doherty Award ceremony that took place this past weekend. Make sure to stay tuned to the end as Zach surprises Eric with a game where he is forced to eat, save and throw away one of his favorite food items.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 33 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show.
On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, the guys share some thoughts about uniforms, the Cardinals, Suns, and the Fiesta Bowl. They also get into some listener questions, and Zach professes his undying love for Disney's Lady and the Tramp. Eric and Zach also answer some questions recollecting some of their favorite sports memories and about the AIA winter sports season.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 32 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show.
On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Zach shares his love for fantasy football while Eric expresses his displeasure with all fantasy sports. The guys also discuss the win and you’re in scenario for the Arizona Cardinals as they prepare to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday with a spot in the playoffs on the line. Also, could the Suns not only break into the Western Conference Playoffs but secure their first postseason victory since 2010? Brittany Bowyer joins the guys to discuss how she’s been able to build her own brand as a sports journalist. Stick around to the end of the show as Eric and Zach describe their relationship with Andy Luberda, a member of Team AZV who tragically lost his battle to COVID-19 on Tuesday.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 31 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show.
On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Eric and Zach discuss the resignation of Desert Vista football coach Dan Hinds, and the subsequent hiring of Ty Wisdom. The guys also talk about the AIA's winter sports delay, and ramble to an end eventually.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 30 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show.
On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Eric and Zach recap the Arizona high school football championship games from this past weekend as the fall sports season has officially come to a close. The guys take a second to reflect on making it to this point during a pandemic and Zach shares his thoughts about fans being allowed on sidelines of big games.
Thanks for listening. Find our other podcasts and more TeamAZV content at arizonavarsity.rivals.com.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 29 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show.
In this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Eric and Zach highlight all of the action from the semifinal round of the Arizona high school football playoffs. The guys both shared their thoughts and overall analysis of what was an exciting weekend of football and look ahead to championship weekend. The guys also share who they believe will be crowned champion in each conference on Friday and Saturday and give a sneak preview of the costume Eric will be wearing following the Open Division State Championship after Mountain Ridge lost to Higley in the Chilly Bowl.
Thanks for listening. Find our other podcasts and more TeamAZV content at arizonavarsity.rivals.com.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 28 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show.
In episode 28, the guys interview Team AZV's Chilly about the Chilly Bowl and AIA Executive Director David Hines about how COVID-19 has affected fall and winter prep sports in Arizona. Eric and Zach also touch on the AIA football postseason.
Thanks for listening. Find our other podcasts and more TeamAZV content at arizonavarsity.rivals.com.
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Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 27 of The Take it EZ Sports Show.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman interview Jordan Augustine, coach of the 2019 state champion Ironwood High boys' basketball team and writer for Prep Hoops Arizona, in Episode 27 of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show. The boys also recap the eighth and final week of the AIA football regular season, and discuss the first week of football playoffs.
Make sure to see all of the Arizona Varsity Podcast Network shows by heading to ArizonaVarsity.com.
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 26 of The Take it EZ Sports Show.
On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Zach and Eric highlight the games they saw in Week 7 of the Arizona High School football season and look ahead to the final week of the regular season. With playoff rankings, including the Open Division, set to be announced on Saturday morning, the guys share who they believe should be among the eight teams vying for a state championship. Zach and Eric also speak with Arizona Interscholastic Association Sports Information Coordinator Seth Polansky about his career and address the concerns surrounding the winter sports season in Arizona.
On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Eric and Zach highlight Week 6 of the Arizona high school football season and provide analysis from the Mountain View-Mountain Pointe nail-biter and Glendale’s region-title win over St. Mary’s. The guys also welcomed The Arizona Republic’s Richard Obert to the show, as the trio talked about Richard’s path to becoming a sports reporter and the current high school sports landscape in Arizona. Eric and Zach wrap up the show with the games they plan on attending in Week 7.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira take a look back at Week 5 of the AIA football season and a look forward to Week 6 in Episode 24. The guys also interview Richard Smith, Editor of West Valley Preps. Stick around to the end, as Eric does his best to avoid Zach's questions. (84 minutes)
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 23 of The Take it EZ Sports Show.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira get together for the 23rd episode of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show, the guys take a look back at Week 4 of the Arizona High School football season and share the games they’re looking forward to seeing in Week 5. Eric and Zach also welcome Greg Esposito to the podcast, and take a deep dive into Espo’s career working for the Phoenix Suns. Stick around toward the end as Zach officially calls out Eric for his lack of participation in Team AZV weekly rankings (73 Minutes)
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 22 of The Take it EZ Sports Show.
Eric Newman and Zach Alvira get together for the 22nd episode of the Take it E.Z. Sports Show, and interview Andrew Morgan, the TeamAZV Intern spearheading the weekly Twitch Simulation of the Week alongside Chilly.
Eric and Zach discuss the games they attended in week 3, and preview the prep games of week 4. (68 Minutes)
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman return for episode 21 of The Take it EZ Sports Show.
On this episode of the Take It E.Z. Sports Show, Zach and Eric look back at the second week of the Arizona high school football season. The two highlight the Thursday and Friday night gamesthey both covered and interview surprise guest and managing editor of Arizona Varsity, Ralph Amsden, about the show and his role on Friday nights keeping track of scores and highlights from members of Team AZV.
Zach and Eric also dive in to the games they’ll be covering this week and highlight some of their favorite and least favorite uniforms in the state. (70 Minutes)
Zach Alvira and Eric Newman celebrate their 20th episode while highlighting the first week of the pandemic-delayed Arizona high school football season. The guys also answer Twitter questions from listeners and share what games they are looking forward to in Week 2.