Hooked on Sports: Recent Episodes
John Flynn
Join John Flynn as he goes through and through in his world of sports, the hot takes, the blunt takeaways, and more. Regular episodes are released on Mondays, the weekly NFL Special on Wednesdays.
Contributor at Fansided, for Rising Apple Social Media: Twitter & Instagram @hooked_onsports
In today's podcast:
John goes all over what transpired in the Conference Finals in the NBA and NHL playoffs. Did the Boston Celtics pass the eye test, and do the Dallas Mavericks match up well with the Celtics in the NBA Finals that starts on Thursday? And what about in hockey? Are the Edmonton Oilers improved enough to allow Connor McDavid to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup in a couple of weeks? Also, John explains why the New York Rangers season was a failure despite winning the President's Trophy. Then, he goes into the MLB musings, the chances of Juan Soto returning to the Yankees next year, the Mets' fiasco, Caitlin Clark hate has gone out of control, Kylian Mbappe signs with just crowned European champion Real Madrid, and Justin Jefferson gets the money from the Vikings.
In today's podcast:
The NBA's Conference Finals round begins tonight with the Boston Celtics taking on the Indiana Pacers in the East Finals. But should the 64-win Celtics take the 6th seeded Pacers lightly in their series? Plus, what major advantage do the Minnesota Timberwolves have in the West Finals against the Dallas Mavericks that will be key in that series?
Also, the NHL Conference Finals are set with the New York Rangers taking on the Florida Panthers in the East while the Dallas Stars meet the Edmonton Oilers in the West. Who is John picking for those series?
Plus, Xander finally wins a major, Scottie Scheffler faces legal troubles, the Phillies have been fun to watch, and some NFL schedule tidbits.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the unbelievable playoff run so far the New York Knicks are having amidst all the injuries that they suffered, yet up 2 games to 0 on the Indiana Pacers thanks to the heroics of Jalen Brunson, and other NBA takes, including LeBron James' future and what team makes sense for him to join next season, and the Phoenix Suns future after the firing of head coach Frank Vogel (which was announced during the recording of this podcast), and the Denver Nuggets in trouble?
Then, he discusses the NFL Draft, the Falcons' crazy decision to draft Michael Penix, Jr., the Chicago Bears getting Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze, and more, then the Stanley Cup playoffs so far.
In today's podcast:
It's NFL Draft Eve, and today John unveils his annual mock of the 1st round of the draft.
How many quarterbacks will go in the first round? Will four QB's go in the first four picks? What will the Vikings do with the extra first round pick? How many mock trades does John have? How many wide receivers get picked in Round 1? Listen to the podcast to know what he things your favorite team is going to do in the 1st round.
In today's podcast:
Now that all the matchups are set in the NBA and NHL playoffs that begin on Saturday, John takes a look at all sixteen playoff matchups and makes picks and predictions on all of them.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the impact Caitlin Clark had on women's college basketball and the impressive ratings she (and South Carolina) delivered over the weekend, UCONN dominated, and it's a no brainer for Dan Hurley to stay at UCONN following repeating as champion, the real legacy of OJ Simpson, Nikola Jokic, the two most likely golfers to win the Masters, the Ippei Mizuhara scandal (Shohei Ohtani's interpreter) takes another level, the A's shenangians, the Marlins' mess, and which playoff contenders are under the most pressure to ace the NFL Draft in two weeks?
In today's episode:
John discusses the blockbuster trade that sent Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans and how that changes the balance of power in the AFC, then the genius behind Caitlin Clark when it comes to her performance and the historic TV ratings, UCONN's road to the Final Four, Purdue, NC State, and Alabama also in on the men's side, the start of the MLB season and the Marlins' disaster, and the Brewers, Pirates, and Tigers undefeated starts, Joel Embiid finally returning to the Philadephia 76ers last night and how it pertains to the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Lakers' ceiling when it comes to the Western Conference, the race for the President's Trophy in the NHL is the tightest it's been in years, and the race for the final playoff spots in the NHL Eastern Conference, and the start of NFL Draft Coverage with the six teams John says that can dictate the pace in the draft this time.
In today's podcast:
John formally reveals his 2024 MLB season predictions: Playoff teams, win-loss records, MVP, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, Manager of the Year, and finally, the World Series picks. What will happen in a crowded National League where there are 10 legitimate teams in the playoff conversation. Can the Baltimore Orioles take the next step, and which quality teams in the American League will be left out of the playoffs in 2024?
In today's episode,
John unveils who he is picking to win all of the NCAA Tournament games. Will UCONN repeat as the national champs, how will the six teams from the Mountain West do, is Purdue gonna redeem themselves? He picks every game from the first round all the way to the national championship.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the main themes from the past week of NFL news and free agency, from Kirk Cousins going to the Atlanta Falcons makes for an instant contender in the NFC, the Texans being a threat in the AFC, the running backs get paid, the Giants trade for Brian Burns and their draft plans, Aaron Rodgers potentially VP, Gerrit Cole has an elbow issue that is concerning, Dylan Cease gets traded to the Padres, mid-major teams in March Madness like James Madison, McNeese State, Drake, and others that could shine in the tournament, and the Knicks getting needed reinforcements back in time for the stretch drive.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the Denver Broncos releasing Russell Wilson two years after that disastrous trade with the Seattle Seahawks and where he goes from here, Jason Kelce announces his retirement, why no RB's receiving franchise tags was a no-brainer, the Bills' salary cap casualties, LeBron James is the first player ever with 40,000 points in the NBA regular season and not many people noticed, why Victor Wembanyama remains the real deal, some people can't trust the Boston Celtics, Vladimir Taraseneko goes to the Florida Panthers in a blockbusteer trade, the Red Sox disaster, and more!
In today's podcast:
John discusses how the Atlanta Falcons should approach their quarterback problem this offseason, why the Chicago Bears are destined to fail Caleb Williams should they draft him, whether the New York Giants can trade up to draft their next quarterback with the Daniel Jones contract looming large and what a dreamy offseason for the Kansas City Chiefs should look like as they look to three-peat.
Then, John evaluates the contender status of the Los Angeles Lakers, who have won 8 of their last 11 and 13 of their past 20 games, the court storming controversy in the Duke vs. Wake Forest game that injured Duke star Kyle Filipowski, the CFP insanity and why expanding to 14 teams is asinine, and the spring training musings coming out of the Dodgers regarding Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto's first spring games in Dodger Blue, and more!
In today's podcast:
John discusses the good and the bad from NBA All-Star Weekend, featuring the highly-anticipated 3-point shooting contest between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu, how much pressure is on the Boston Celtics to win this year, which teams from the Western Conference can go to the NBA Finals this year, what the Milwaukee Bucks really need to fix to get back into contention in the East, the Islanders-Rangers game at MetLife lives up to the hype, the strength of the Big 12 and SEC this season in men's college hoops, and the teams to watch for to make a run at a championship this season, and John picks over/unders for all 30 teams in Major League Baseball with spring training games beginning on Thursday.
In today's podcast:
John breaks down everything that led to the Kansas City Chiefs repeating as Super Bowl champions in a pulsating 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers to cement themselves as an NFL dynasty. Also, who punched their tickets to the Hall of Fame with their win on Sunday?
And what about for the 49ers? Was this inevitable given the defensive struggles in the NFC Divisional & Championship Games? Is now-fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks nothing more than a scapegoat? Did we see Brock Purdy's ceiling this season? And how do the 49ers recover?
In today's podcast:
With the Super Bowl 24 hours away, John reveals who he is picking to win Super Bowl LVIII. Will the San Francisco 49ers finally win their sixth Super Bowl and first in 29 years? Or will Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Kansas City Chiefs take their place among the great dynasties in NFL history and be the first repeat Super Bowl winners in nearly two decades?
Plus, John tells you whether or not the AP voters got it right with their choices for the awards handed out on Thursday night and the NFL announced the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
In today's podcast:
John picks the winners of the AFC and NFC Championship Games to be played on Sunday. Will the Ravens be able to win and cover as 3.5 point favorites against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, and can the San Francisco 49ers avenge their NFC Championship defeat from a year ago tomorrow as they host the Detroit Lions as 7 point favorites?
In today's podcast:
John is foaming at the mouth over the 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame voting and the election of Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton, and Joe Mauer to the Hall of Fame, and more. Then, he discusses the Milwuakee Bucks making a coaching change despite a 30-13 start, firing Adrian Griffin and bringing in Doc Rivers, Joel Embiid's 70-point performance, the NFL Divisional Round, the Ravens are a team of destiny, Patrick Mahomes' legacy grows even bigger, the Bills' future, the NFL head coaching carousel, the Titans hiring Brian Callahan as head coach, the Raiders hiring Tom Telesco to be their general manager, Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers, the Panthers' mess, and midseason power rankings as the Vegas Golden Knights survived Adin Hill's absence.
On today's podcast,
John picks all the games for the Divisional Weekend in the NFL, with four delicious matchups on tap across the league. Will Lamar Jackson respond to all the pressure that is on him and get his Baltimore Ravens to their first AFC Championship Game in 11 years? Can Jordan Love and the Packers replicate their amazing performance against the Cowboys in San Francisco against the top seeded 49ers? What about the Lions and Bucs? And can the Bills finally get past Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the playoffs to get to Championship Sunday? John picks all the winners and losers.
In today's podcast,
John begins by discussing the news this week in the NFL pertaining to the head coaching carousel, with the Tennessee Titans firing Mike Vrabel, Pete Carroll out as Seattle Seahawks coach, and Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots agreeing to part ways, while the Chicago Bears are keeping Matt Eberflus as their coach as the franchise ponders what to do with the first overall pick. He also says the Washington Commanders finally enter reality with the hiring of Adam Peters as their general manager.
John picks all of the games for Super Wild Card Weekend in the NFL and gives a list of games he finds most intriguing this weekend, including Matthew Stafford's return to Detroit to face the Lions, Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns to take on the Texans, and one of the coldest games in NFL history taking place tomorrow night in Kansas City when the Chiefs take on the Dolphins. Also, will the Green Bay Packers be able to upset the Dallas Cowboys in Big D?, and can the Pittsburgh Steelers overcome being without TJ Watt in Buffalo, and can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take advantage of the spiraling out of control Eagles?
In today's podcast,
John says that Michigan's path to their dominating National Championship Game victory over Washington was something that took longer than expected, but it gives creedence to the vision Jim Harbaugh had all along with Washington.
Then, John says to look ouf for the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs, and that the in-season collapses of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles (though Philly made the playoffs) are inexcusable and embarrassing, and DeMeco Ryans secured Coach of the Year honors by leading the Texans to an unexpected AFC South division crown.
Then, he says it sucks for the Grizzlies fans that Ja Morant is out for the season and it ends the Grizzlies season too, the Knicks are a much more stout team defensive with newby OG Anunoby leading the charge, and the OKC Thunder deserve some love for their strong start and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the NBA MVP discussion with the way he's playing.
In today's podcast,
John discusses that while all the pressure is on the Buffalo Bills to win and make the playoffs, there are no excuses for them for not getting the job done on Sunday night against the Miami Dolphins, and he says the Houston Texans have a couple of major advantages headed into their showdown tonight against the Indianapolis Colts with the season on the line for both teams.
Then, as he's done all year, John picks all the games against the spread for the upcoming week in the NFL.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the incredible College Football Playoff semifinal games between Michigan and Alabama in the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl shootout between Washington and Texas, and why the committee was proven right to leave Florida State out of the playoff.
Then, John lists his biggest threats to each of the newly minted #1 seeds in the AFC (the Ravens) and the NFC (the 49ers), what went wrong with the Philadelphia Eagles against the Cardinals, what the Bears should do now they have secured the #1 pick in the draft, where Bill Belichick should coach next year, and the bad look the Broncos are getting for their handling of Russell Wilson this season.
Then, John says that Chris Sale making the Braves rotation complete makes them the World Series favorites and why David Stearns is taking the right approach for the Mets.
Today,
With the old year of 2023 officially closed, John looks back at the biggest stories from the world of sports from last year, including women's sports becoming more mainstream, Lionel Messi's arrival in the United States, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce and the relationship's impact on the NFL, Dan Snyder selling the Washington Commanders, Saudi Arabian "sportswashing", the unexpected outcomes of the 2023 MLB rules changes, and more!
In today's podcast,
John discusses the Denver Broncos' decision to bench starting QB Russell Wilson and the reports that he'll be released in March to save money for the franchise, the Baltimore Ravens dominating the San Francisco 49ers, the Miami Dolphins finally getting a win against a quality opponent, and the Detroit Lions winning their first division title in 30 years.
Then, John will pick every game in Week 17 in the NFL against the spread.
In today's podcast,
John discusses the matchups between the current 1 seeds in each conference (the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers) and the 2 seeds (the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins) that'll go down this weekend that'll go a long way in shaping up the playoff pictures in each conference, then he picks every game against the spread for Week 16 in the NFL.
In today's podcast,
John discusses the big takeaways from Week 15 in the NFL, from the Bills' 31-10 win over the Cowboys, the Ravens asserting themselves as the class of the AFC, the Chargers firing Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco, and the Jets' fiasco.
Then, John discusses the Knicks' splitting their West Coast trip, Ja Morant's incredible return to the court after his suspension, and why the Mets appear to be the new favorites for coveted Japanese superstar pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
In today's podcast:
Chargers embarrassed 63-21, and why this should be the end for Brandon Staley (1:41)
Shohei Ohtani goes to the Dodgers, and the Dodgers trade for and sign Tyler Glasnow to a long-term contract extension (8:57)
Draymond Green was suspended indefinitely by the NBA for his latest on-court incident, but is there a bit of irony to this when it comes to his legacy? (14:40)
The NBA in-season tournament proved LeBron is the workhorse we always knew he was (21:54)
Giannis Antetokounmpo broke the Bucks' scoring record by scoring 64 points vs. the Pacers this week, but did this spark a rivalry the NBA could use between the two teams (24:40)
Why actions from Florida and Georgia legislators concerning the College Football Playoff are utterly irrelevant (26:47)
In today's podcast:
John gives you the five games he is most intrigued by this weekend in the NFL, including nationally-televised interconference showdowns between the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys in Orchard Park, the red-hot Denver Broncos and the inconsistent Detroit Lions facing off in the Motor City and the issues facing the Lions, and Jake Browning and the Cincinnati Bengals meeting the Minnesota Vikings, and why the Bengals have such momentum headed to their match on Saturday afternoon.
Then, John offers his picks against the spread for Week 15, where he is coming off a 6-8-1 week and is 106-95-7 against the spread for the season.
In today's podcast:
Juan Soto is now a Yankee, as the Padres and Yankees pull off the biggest trade of the 2023-24 offseson last night, which has benefits for both teams.
John also says the College Football Playoff committee got it right putting Alabama in over Florida State in the playoff, despite Florida State being an undefeated 13-0 Power 5 conference champion, and the NBA in-season tournament has been... a good thing?
Then John tells you what games he wants to see in the NFL for Week 14 in the NFL, and offers his picks against the spread for the week.
In today's podcast,
John discusses the much-anticipated heavyweight showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles upcoming on Sunday, as well as excellent undercard matchups, such as the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans, filled with AFC Wild Card playoff implications as well as the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams.
Then, he picks every game in Week 13 in the NFL against the spread.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the ripple effects of the Carolina Panthers firing head coach Frank Reich and what it means for the team's future, the Washington Commanders firing defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, the mental fortitude of the 10-1 Philadelphia Eagles and why it bodes well for them for the 49ers showdown on Sunday, the Jets' mess, the St. Louis Cardinals free agent splurge and whether it's just a bandaid for the bigger issues, the Mets-Yankees bid on Yoshinobu Yamomoto, the New York Rangers are the best team in the NHL, the surprises in the NBA so far, and the College Football Playoff rankings and why it would have been nice to have the 12-team playoff this year.
In today's podcast:
John makes his picks for all the games this weekend that feature all the 32 teams in the NFL over the course of the next five days with the Thanksgiving holiday, with lots of key divisional tilts around the league featuring battles for first place in the NFC West and NFC South, and the very first Black Friday game in NFL history between AFC East rivals in the Dolphins and the Jets.
Today's podcast:
Why should you feel more confident about the Cincinnati Bengals than the Baltimore Ravens as the two teams collide on Thursday Night Football tonight (1:25-7:23)
The Cleveland Browns can still absolutely make the playoffs despite Deshaun Watson's season-ending injury and can absolutely beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday (7:25-12:52)
The Eagles and Chiefs face off for the first time since Super Bowl LVII on Monday Night, and why you have to trust Andy Reid and the Chiefs coming off their bye week (12:53-19:08)
NFL Picks Against the Spread Week 11 (19:08-39:01)
Today's podcast topics (with timecodes):
Bills' mess (1:36-20:51)
CJ Stroud, 49ers, Vikings (20:54-31:02)
Clippers' trade for James Harden (31:03-34:55)
Tyrese Maxey, Victor Wembanyama and LeBron James thriving (34:57-44:38)
College Football Playoff Outlook (44:38-51:23)
NHL - Rangers thriving under Peter Laviolette and Oilers fire Jay Woodcroft (51:24-55:21)
MLB - Manager Carousel (55:21-1:02:19)
In today's podcast,
John looks at key matchups in the NFL on Sunday afternoon, and says why the panic meter in San Francisco should revert back to lower levels with the expected return of Deebo Samuel and probable return of Trent Williams back from injuries in time for a showdown with Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, why the stock is up on the Minnesota Vikings following a comeback win in which they didn't have some of their best offensive players, and why a lot is at stake from a believability standpoint for the Chargers this week as they take on a Lions team coming off their bye.
Then he picks every game in the NFL against the spread for Week 10 in the NFL.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the key matchups ahead of Week 9 of the NFL season, the things he liked and loathed from the trade deadline that just past on Tuesday, and offer his NFL picks against the spread for the week.
The Texas Rangers capped off an unbelievable 2023 season by winning its first championship in it's 63-year history by defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 4 games to 1 in the World Series. It was a day Rangers fans thought would never see, 12 years after they were a strike away TWICE! in Game 6 against the Cardinals in the Fall Classic, so today's podcast is about the Rangers winning the World Series and everything they did to get to this point, from front office changes to free agents to draftees and trades to get the Rangers to its greatest moment.
Also, with it being a Thursday, John offers his pick for the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers in tonight's game.
In today's podcast,
John discusses why the Cincinnati Bengals, a team coming off their bye week, are getting a Super Bowl favorite at the right time in the 49ers, an intriguing game in Pittsburgh between the Jaguars and Steelers, with both teams winning four of their last five games each, and why the latest edition of the Giants-Jets rivalry in New York is a must-win game for both teams and the two big advantages the Giants have over the Jets.
Then, John will pick all the games in Week 8 featuring all 32 teams in the NFL against the spread.
Seven weeks are in the books in the NFL, and John tells you why fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs should be excited about their performances over the weekend and how it relates to the big picture in the NFL.
Then, John says the Astros' lack of clutch hitting doomed them in the ALCS against the Texas Rangers, and the Diamondbacks comeback ability got the NLCS to seven games.
Then, John locks in his 2023-24 NBA Predictions, and offers the 12-13 teams that are left in consideration of the four spots in the College Football Playoff in FBS football, and none of the spots are gimmes this year.
In today's podcast,
John discusses the five teams that have five wins, the Chiefs, 49ers, Lions, Dolphins, and Eagles, and four of them have tough matchups on Sunday, including two of them facing each other in primetime, so what should we make about the Dolphins and Eagles matchup on Sunday night. Is it time to raise the expectations for the Detroit Lions who have won 4 straight games by 14+ points for the first time since 1934, and what about the Chiefs, who don't have an easy matchup against the Chargers on Sunday.
Then, John offers his picks against the spread for the week.
In today's podcast,
John discusses some of the biggest takeaways from Week 6 in the NFL, the announcement of sports added to the 2028 LA Olympics program, and how the Rangers got to a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Astros in the ALCS and the Phillies' continued mashing of their opposition.
Today's episode goes into depth about what to expect for this upcoming week of NFL games, including what figures to feature a very interesting slate of 1 p.m. ET NFL games between interconference foes, with Seahawks-Bengals, 49ers-Browns, and Saints-Texans as fun games to watch on the TV screens.
Then, he picks every game in the NFL against the spread for the week.
In today's podcast,
John discusses the many story lines he took away from Week 5 in the NFL, including what to think of the San Francisco 49ers after their 42-10 blowout against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, the Philadelphia Eagles improving to 5-0 with a 23-14 win over the Los Angeles Rams, the Pittsburgh Steelers moving to first place in the AFC North with a thrilling, bizarre comeback victory over their archrivals in the Baltimore Ravens, Jordan Love's horrendous performance on Monday night against the Raiders, and more!
(26:47) Then, John discusses his takes on the baseball playoffs, with the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves and that thrilling Game 2, the Dodgers' failures, the biggest difference between the Baltimore Orioles from the regular season to the postseason, the genius of Bruce Bochy, and Justin Verlander and Carlos Correa demonstrating playoff greatness... again!
(42:12) Texas lost a heartbreaker (again) to Oklahoma this weekend, but can Texas still win out, the Pac-12 was buzzing with thrilling games over the weekend, and Notre Dame wasted a golden opportunity this season to make a run at the playoff in Marcus Freeman's 2nd season as head coach there.
(45:27) Does John think the Vegas Golden Knights can repeat as Stanley Cup champions, and which surprise teams does he have going to the Stanley Cup Finals? John offers his NHL predictions for the 2023-24 season which starts on Tuesday.
In today's episode:
John says just because the media and fans will be talking about how the Dallas Cowboys fare doesn't mean we can minimize how critical a week this is for the San Francisco 49ers as the two teams clash on Sunday Night Football. Plus, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams may have an aerial shootout on the way, and two big AFC division tilts are on tap with the Tennessee Titans visiting the Indianapolis Colts with Jonathan Taylor practicing for the first time in months while the Baltimore Ravens play their archnemeses in the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road this weekend.
Then, John offers his picks and predictions for Week 5 in the NFL against the spread, looking to build off a good week last week in which he went 12-4 picking winners and 9-7 against the spread.
In today's podcast:
John discusses some of the biggest takeaways he saw from Week 4 in the NFL, from the New York Giants' horrendous performance on Monday Night Football vs. the Seattle Seahawks, the Chicago Bears continuting to spiral out of control, and good vibes from the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Zach Wilson.
Also, John will pick each of the playoff series in the Wild Card round of the baseball playoffs, and make a pick on the WNBA Finals between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty.
In today's podcast:
John offers three games for this upcoming slate of NFL games to keep your eyes on for results, and all three are key divisional games that will determine control of their divisions for the foreseeable future in the NFC North, AFC North and AFC East.
Then, John picks every NFL game against the spread for the week, hoping to rebound from a rough Week 3.
In today's podcast:
John recaps Week 3 of the NFL with his biggest takeaways from Sunday's action, including the Dolphins scoring 70 points against the Broncos, the Cowboys' shocking loss on the road to the Arizona Cardinals, the Jets' inability to function with Zach Wilson as their quarterback, and more!
Plus, he offers the three biggest things he saw in college football, and who he sees coming out of the National League as wild card teams with a week left in the 2023 MLB regular season and more!!
In today's podcast:
John discusses some big story lines entering Week 3 in the NFL season, including Kareem Hunt signing with the Browns, the latest regarding the FBI raiding the home of now former Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams, Cam Akers going to the Vikings in a trade with the Rams, and Cowboys All-Pro CB Trevon Diggs tearing his ACL today, ending his season.
Then, John looks to build upon a successful Week 2 in the picks department by looking for more of the same in Week 3.
In today's episode:
John goes through everything he learned from Week 2 in the NFL. how the culture of the Pittsburgh Steelers won them the game vs. the Cleveland Browns last night, the Bears and Chargers both losing in inexplicable fashion in their games, the New York Jets have a Zach Wilson problem, why something feels a bit off with the Philadelphia Eagles a year after they went to the Super Bowl, the Denver Broncos' lack of situational football awareness is why they are 0-2 in the Sean Payton era, offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy is a huge difference-maker for the Washington Commanders, and hopefully for him, why it finally clears the way for him to get a chance to be an NFL head coach next season, why it is hard to have a firm takeaway for the New York Giants this week despite their largest comeback victory in over 70 years.
Then, he discusses which teams he trusts in the Wild Card races across Major League Baseball, with a five-team race for the final two Wild Cards in the National League, the AL Wild Card battle between the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, and the Toronto Blue Jays, and why he favors the Orioles over the Rays in the AL East.
And also, how about SIX FBS college games on Saturday between ranked opponents, headlined by the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame showdown in South Bend, Indiana on Saturday, and why he thinks the Fighting Irish will win outright vs. the Buckeyes
In today's podcast,
John picks every game in Week 2 in the NFL against the spread, while going through the big headlines this week, with Travis Kelce and Chris Jones potentially back in the lineup for the Chiefs, Zach Wilson gets another chance for the Jets at QB after Aaron Rodgers' season ending injury against the Cowboys in Dallas, while Tua and the Miami Dolphins take on the Patriots in Foxboro.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the big takeaways from Week 1 in the NFL, from the Jets' tumultuous night, Aaron Rodgers out for the season, amazing finish vs. the Bills, the Dallas Cowboys making a 40-piece statement on Sunday night, the Bears can't catch a break against the Packers, and one head coach whose seat got pretty hot this week.
Then, he is over Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic winning the women's and men's singles titles at the US Open, Texas and Steve Sarkisian announcing they're a force to be reckoned with when they move to the SEC next fall, the Orioles' play, and the Mets hiring David Stearns as the first president of basebal operations in team history.
In today's episode:
John says to keep an eye on three particular games between division rivals in the Sunday slate of NFL games, including an AFC North clash between teams with two of the better rosters in the NFL.
Then, John offers his first batch of NFL picks against the spread for the 2023 NFL season. He looks to improve even further on his successes last year, where he went 182-100-2 straight up and 149-127-8 against the spread.
In today's podcast:
John discusses two things he learned from the first weekend in college football, Deion Sanders' debut at Colorado finished with an incredible upset victory at 17th ranked TCU, and Florida State's takedown of LSU last night in Orlando.
Then, John reveals his official, mark-em predictions for the 2023 NFL season; his 14 playoff teams, everyone's win-loss records, the conference championship matchups, the Super Bowl winner, and the winners of the AP Awards at the end of the season.
Twitter: @JohnFlynn97 and @hooked_onsports
Instagram: @jayflizzie and @hooked_onsports
Threads: @jayflizzie and @hooked_onsports
In today's podcast,
John first discusses the period of insanity of Trey Lance in San Francisco coming to an end as he was dealt from the 49ers to the Cowboys, the Braves and the Dodgers beginning a huge 4-game series in L.A. tonight, and the Angels basically admitting their trade deadline plan spectacularly backfired.
Then, SiriusXM Big Ten Today producer Dan Lynch joins the program to walk down memory lane from when he first met John at King's, Mayor's Cup moments, how the NIL has made a huge impact on Division III schools, Skyler Fultz making his head coaching debut at their alma mater this weekend.
Then he talks about whether Penn State can finally surpass Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten and what Bret Bielema brings to the table at Illinois this season and what should make for a successful season for the Fighting Illini.
Then he talks about what makes Caleb Williams so great, the plethora of excellent QB's in the Pac-12, the culture at Utah, games to watch this weekend, if Florida State can still make the playoff even if they lose to LSU on Sunday night, why Utah vs. Florida tonight is intriguing, and whether Sam Hartman can get Notre Dame to the playoff and what Notre Dame should do in the future in response to the unprecedented realignment going on in college football.
Twitter, Instagram, & Threads: hooked_onsports
In today's podcast:
College football returns tomorrow, and John can't be any more excited about it. Which four teams are on his list for the College Football Playoff, which teams is he excited to watch, and which teams will fade? He breaks it all down.
Then, he discusses the balance of power in MLB, with Shohei Ohtani blowing out his elbow, the Angels' mess, the Chicago White Sox firing Ken Williams and Rick Hahn, and why he doesn't think the team will get it right, the Yankees' woes, the Rangers' spiraling out of control, the Houston Astros, and Seattle Mariners surging, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the rest of the NL Wild Card race, and why the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants should be worried.
Then, a hodgepodge of topics in the NFL, from the Indianapolis Colts allowing star running back Jonathan Taylor to explore trades, the Kansas City Chiefs not close to bringing back Chris Jones, the San Francisco 49ers' all-time draft bust in Trey Lance and naming Sam Darnold the backup QB, the Dallas Cowboys' upside this season, Sam Howell's impact on the 2023 Washington Commanders, the New York Giants trading for Isaiah Simmons, who many Giants fans wanted the team to draft 4th overall in 2020, Aaron Rodgers playing for the Jets in the team's preseason game on Saturday night, the AFC North having 3 playoff teams this year, perhaps, and more.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the controversial developments featuring Tampa Bay Rays' shortstop Wander Franco and former NFL lineman Michael Oher this week and the injustices that occurred, then he lists the 10 NFL head coaches most likely to be fired by the end of the 2023 NFL season and his 10 favorite matchups of the 2023-24 NBA Schedule, which was released on Thursday.
In today's episode:
John will discuss the Baltimore Orioles' baffling decision to suspend play-by-play guy Kevin Brown, the Chicago White Sox dysfunction shown after refusing to acknowledge Keynan Middleton's name on the scoreboard, the Los Angeles Angels' recent losing streak, the wild NL Wild Card race, Michael Lorenzen's no-hitter last night, the Houston Astros' championship DNA on full display this week, and expectations on Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, Daniel Jones, and Sam Howell entering the 2023 season.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the big stories that came out of the trade deadline in baseball, from the Los Angeles Angels going for it in Shohei Ohtani's walk -year to the New York Mets' firesale and the Yankees' inaction.
Then, John focuses on how concerned fans of the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams should be with the injuries to Joe Burrow and Cooper Kupp, and how the latest comments from Jim Irsay reveal how dysfunctional the Indianapolis Colts really are.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the big names that may be gone at the Major League Baseball trade deadline coming up on Tuesday, August 1, such as Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels, Marcus Stroman of the Chicago Cubs, and Lucas Giolito of the White Sox. Then, John goes off on the Boston Celtics on handing Jaylen Brown a 5-year, $304 million supermax extension.
For the main segment, John tells the audience where his head is at when it comes to handicapping the 2023 NFL season, with brief discussions on all 32 teams and where the balance of power is in each conference. Particularly, what strength does the Kansas City Chiefs possess that the other Super Bowl contenders in the AFC don't have (Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid don't count!!), can the AFC East get three teams into the postseason, will Mike Tomlin field another winning ballclub this year for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is the Chargers' roster flawed, or top-heavy, the one reason why John is not sold on the San Francisco 49ers as the team to beat in the NFC, why the New York Giants will miss the playoffs despite another outstanding offseason from Joe Schoen and the front office, what edge does the Dallas Cowboys have over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East, can the NFC South field multiple playoff teams, and why thunderstorms are in the forecast for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals?
In today's podcast:
John discusses and evaluates the potential impact of Lionel Messi playing soccer in the United States for the first time as a Major League Soccer player this week, the FIFA Women's World Cup kicking off on Thursday, and what teams are best suited for challenging the United States, who seek to three-peat as World Cup Champions, Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon and the changing of the guard from one generation to the next in tennis, the NFL running back market and economics, the New York Jets appearing on Hard Knocks this year, and the Shohei Ohtani trade sweepstakes heating up.
In today's podcast:
We are so close to training camp and the gearing up for the start of the 2023 NFL season, so by tradition, John goes ranks each of the eight divisions in the NFL by the strength of their defenses.
So which division ranks No. 1 by defense going into the season? And who is at the bottom of the barrel?
In this week's podcast:
John discusses the winners and losers from free agency in the NBA. He dishes about what the Los Angeles Lakers did, the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, the New York Knicks, and more teams that have been players this offseason. Then he showers praise for the 2020 NBA draft class for earning hard-earned contract max extensions with Tyrese Haliburton, LaMelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards all getting massive pay days. And what about the rumors of Damian Lillard going from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Miami Heat in what would be the blockbuster trade of the offseason?
Then, he dishes on the Los Angeles Angels' injury woes, with Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Anthony Rendon all suffering injuries this week, the chances of the New York Mets (six and a half games back of the Wild Card chase) to making a run after an exhilarating victory last night, the Cincinnati Reds' fun quotient, and the Atlanta Braves being the best team in baseball despite some injuries to their pitching.
In today's podcast:
John goes over the big winners in the NBA Draft from Victor Webanyama to the Miami Heat, the trades of Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, Chris Paul, Marcus Smart, and more, Ja Morant's 25-game suspension, and John's picks for Charity Lawson's season of "The Bachelorette" which premieres tonight on ABC
In today's podcast:
John discusses the championships won by the Denver Nuggets, Vegas Golden Knights, and Novak Djokovic, as well as the Oakland A's fans doing a reverse boycott to protest the pending move of the Oakland A's to Las Vegas by owner John Fisher, and the big stories coming out of NFL minicamps, including Stefon Diggs and the Bills, Saquon Barkley's future with the New York Giants, the Carolina Panthers moving Bryce Young up to QB1 on their depth charts, Dalvin Cook getting released by the Minnesota Vikings, and DeAndre Hopkins' visit to the Patriots tomorrow.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the merger of LIV Golf, DP World Tour, and PGA, and the ripple effects it will have on golf going forward, who the big winners and losers are, and how the writing was on the wall and nobody realized it. Then, he discusses Jacob deGrom undergoing Tommy John surgery, Luis Arraez hitting over .400 on the season, the injuries to Nestor Cortes and Aaron Judge and how the Yankees will be tested for it, the St. Louis Cardinals' mess, and then the NBA Finals with the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat tied at one win apiece and the Vegas Golden Knights up 2-0 on the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
In today's episode:
John handicaps the NBA Finals that start on Thursday night in Denver between the Nuggets and the Miami Heat, the second 8 seed to ever reach the NBA's championship series, and the Stanley Cup Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and the upstart Florida Panthers, with both franchises seeking their first ever Stanley Cup championship.
Then, with a 1/3 of the MLB regular season docket complete, Aaron Judge showed everyone why he is worth the $40 million a year contract, while the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers are feel-good stories in the majors while the Mets may be turning things around and the genius of the Dodgers.
Then, can DeAndre Hopkins turn the Cleveland Browns into a Super Bowl contender?
In today's podcast:
The Denver Nuggets path from futility to the NBA Finals should be inspiring, says John following the Nuggets' stunning four-game sweep for the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, while the same cannot be said about the Boston Celtics, who have not inspired during the Eastern Conference Finals against Erik Spolestra's team of mainly undrafted free agents in the Miami Heat. Then, John sprinkles praise for Aaron Judge, Nolan Gorman, and Christopher Morel, who are three of the hottest hitters in baseball right now, while the San Diego Padres need other sources to step up in their lineup. Then, John talks about the NFL's controversial decision to flex Thursday Night Football from Weeks 13-17, and the media attention driven towards the New York Jets with Aaron Rodgers at OTA's, and the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers each a win away from the Stanley Cup Final.
In today's episode:
John handicaps the NBA's Conference Finals, which begin tonight in the West as the Denver Nuggets host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 tonight, while the East begins tomorrow with a rematch of last year's ECF as the Miami Heat take on a suddenly rejuvenated Boston Celtics squad. Meanwhile, John reacts to the release of the 2023 NFL Schedule and lists the games he is most interested in watching this season and highlights some of the big winners in the NFL Draft, including another Howie Roseman special for the Philadelphia Eagles, while the Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and Giants are among the other winners. Then, he will pick each of the Stanley Cup playoff Conference Finals, with the Vegas Golden Knights taking on the Dallas Stars in Game 1 tomorrow night, while the upstart Florida Panthers take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final starting on Thursday night. And finally, why the Dodgers' culture is responsible for their 11-2 start in May against vaunted competition, and the suddenly hot St. Louis Cardinals are finding their groove at the right time, and the landscape of the AL East and the Mets' woes.
In today's podcast:
John will make mock selections for all 31 picks in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, which takes place on Thursday.
In today's podcast:
John breaks down all of the elements involved in the blockbuster trade that unfolded on Monday that sent future Hall of Fame and Super Bowl winning quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets. John talks about how the Jets become instant Super Bowl contenders, the Packers in the post-Rodgers era with Jordan Love as the quarterback there, how the spotlight and pressure shift to the Jets, the difficulties that come with the Jets' schedule, the competition in the AFC, and how the Jets must beat old and recent NFL histories to get them to where they expect to be in February, and that's the Super Bowl.
The first podcast ever where John does one topic all by itself.
In today's podcast:
John goes over all of the playoff matchups in the NBA and NHL so far, from the Sacramento Kings going up 2-0 in their series against the Golden State Warriors, Draymond Green's stomp on Domantas Sabonis and Game 3 suspension, the Cleveland Cavaliers bouncing back in Game 2 vs. the New York Knicks, the injuries to Tyler Herro and Giannis Antetokounmpo and how it shapes up tonight's matchup between the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks, the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers splitting the first two games of their series in Arizona, and the Lakers' chances of putting the Memphis Grizzlies away in short order following their Game 1 triumph.
Then, John discusses whether or not the New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs were as good as their regular seasons indicated following four-goal defeats to the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning, respectively, in Tuesday's series openers, and why the Edmonton Oilers missed a big chance in their Game 1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.
Then, he discusses the Atlanta Braves' strong start in baseball, as well as the Padres' struggles offensively, the Rays' 13-game winning streak ending, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs as sleeper teams in the National League, the A's potentially losing 120+ games this season, and the genius and greatness of Clayton Kershaw.
And finally, John discusses Jalen Hurts' 5-year, $255 million contract extension, and another Arizona Cardinals' star player requesting a trade, and Allen Robinson getting traded from the L.A. Rams to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In today's podcast:
John turns the page on the NBA and NHL regular seasons and focuses now on the playoffs. Is this the most intriguing first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs ever? What series in the NBA will provide the most entertaining games? Plus, why is the Tampa Bay Rays' 13-0 start too good to hold up, and John explains why Lamar Jackson and Saquon Barkley have no leverage in their extension talks for now, which teams will feel desperate enough to trade with the Arizona Cardinals for the 3rd selection (probably Anthony Richardson) in the upcoming NFL Draft, and Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort can do two more things this offseason to help shape the future for the team.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the playoff scenarios in the Eastern Conference in the NHL and the Western Conference in the NBA, which one of the Islanders, Panthers, and Penguins will be left out of the playoffs, how the Clippers' massive win over the Lakers on Wednesday factors in to seedings and if that win separated the teams from the play-in and the playoffs. Then, he talks about some of the early observations from the first week of the 2023 MLB season, UConn's unbelievable run of dominance in the NCAA Tournament, capped by a 17-point win over San Diego State in the national title game earlier this week, how the Masters is shaking up after 1 day, the controversy that the media spun regarding Angel Reese of LSU and Caitlin Clark of Iowa and why it's okay to support both players, and why this NFL draft features a typical, not extraordinary class of quarterbacks.
In today's podcast:
John formally marks the tape on the 2023 Major League Baseball season, dishing out win-loss records for all 30 teams, his 12 playoff teams, the awards predictions for each league, and his postseason picks. Lots of buzz this season will be on the San Diego Padres after another busy offseason, Shohei Ohtani getting attention in his contract year and the pressure on the Los Angeles Angels to get to the playoffs, the New York Yankees after naming Aaron Judge their captain and Anthony Volpe making the team as the starting shortstop, the Philadelphia Phillies adding Trea Turner to a deep lineup, and the Houston Astros begin their World Series title defense.
Plus, Lamar Jackson wants out of Baltimore, the Chargers are opening contract extension talks with Justin Herbert, and John handicaps the Final Four matchups this weekend with three first-timer participants in the Final Four in Florida Atlantic, San Diego State, and Miami, plus UConn seeking their fifth national title in 25 years.
In today's podcast,
John discussees the impact this year's World Baseball Classic had on the growth of the game, from the start to when Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to give Japan the championship, the NFL biggest free agent moves, the insane March Madness so far, and the wild push in the Western Conference for the NBA playoffs, with six teams separated by 1 1/2 games in the standings.
In today's podcast, John picks every game for the 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, from the first round to the National Championship Game. Who does he have cutting down the nets at NRG Stadium in Houston on April 3? What big upsets does John have? Listen here to find out.
In today's podcast,
ESPN+ and WFUV (Fordham University in the Bronx) radio play-by-play voice Miles Grossman comes on to dish on the resurgent Fordham Rams men's basketball team under coach Keith Urgo and the possibility of two Atlantic-10 teams going to the NCAA tournament as their conference tournament commences on Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He also dishes on how exactly the future dynamic has shifted with the Nets following the departures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the super team with the New York Liberty with the additions of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Courtney Vandersloot, what power conference tournament to keep an eye on for bid-stealers, and how WFUV and sportscasting legend Vin Scully shaped Miles for who he was.
In today's episode:
John talks about the disappointing NBA All-Star Game and why major changes are needed and new rules should be adopted to get the All-Star Game into watchable TV again, what the Patrick Kane trade to the Rangers does in terms of their chances to win the Stanley Cup and whether or not the Eastern Conference balance of power changes with six weeks left until the Stanley Cup playoffs, and with the new season of Major League Soccer kicking off this past weekend, when is it time to classify North America's top soccer association as a major league alongside the Big Four leagues on the continent (MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL) and expand the group to five.
NBA All-Star Game changes needed (2:22-8:03)
Patrick Kane traded to the New York Rangers (8:05-14:05)
Should MLS be on the same level as the other sports leagues? (14:09-35:48)
Personal Twitter: @JohnFlynn97 Personal Instagram: @jayflizzie
Hooked on Sports Twitter & Instagram: hooked_onsports
In today’s podcast:
John reflects on the 2022 NFL season by listing nine lessons he took away from an eventful 2022 NFL season, such as those about the greatness of Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, how great offensive line play (and lack thereof) shaped the 2022 season, how coaching mattered, how dysfunctional franchises got punished this season, and offers one major change the NFL should consider in the not-so-distant future.
Offensive line play matters (02:48)
Patrick Mahomes is the best player and QB in football (12:44)
Maturity (or lack thereof) matters (14:00)
The refs were bad this year, get over it! (15:47)
Life is precious and it matters (Damar Hamlin) (17:07)
Having an elite wide receiver makes a big difference (18:00)
Having a great coach/staff makes a big difference (22:09)
Franchises that are dysfunctional get punished (40:33)
It's time for a draft lottery in the NFL (49:27)
Today, John discusses the fallout from what was an epic Super Bowl LVII in Arizona with the Kansas City Chiefs winning their third Super Bowl and second in four years. Plus, what went wrong with the historically good Eagles defense and was the holding penalty called on Eagles CB James Bradberry properly called?
On today's podcast:
John makes his official prediction for Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs ahead of Sunday's big game.
In today's podcast:
John determines the winners and losers of the blockbuster trade that sent star guard Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, reacts to the Minnesota Vikings hiring former Dolphins head coach and Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores as defensive coordinator, and the New York Islanders finalizing an eight-year contract extension with new co-star Bo Horvat, whom they acquired in a big trade with the Vancouver Canucks last week.
In today's podcast, John discusses the (second) retirement of the GOAT of football, we have our Super Bowl matchup set with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs ready to duke it out in Arizona on Feburary 12, and three of the five head coaching vacancies in the NFL are filled.
John picks the NFC and AFC Championship Games as the Philadelphia Eagles take on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game while the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs meet in the AFC title game for the second straight season.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the highlights (and lowlights) of the Divisional Playoffs from the weekend, including the Cincinnati Bengals blowing out the Buffalo Bills 27-10 in the snow at Orchard Park, the San Francisco 49ers ending the Dallas Cowboys' season in the playoffs for the second successive season with a grueling 19-12 victory to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the 3rd time in the last 4 years, the Kansas City Chiefs' 27-20 defeat of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Philadelphia Eagles destroying their division rival New York Giants 38-7.
Then, after a brief discussion on who will be in the MLB Hall of Fame and Arte Moreno keeping ownership of the L.A. Angels, John offers his midseason rankings on the top 5 teams in both the National Hockey League, and the National Basketball Association.
In today's podcast,
John goes through everything for the divisional matchups across the NFL this upcoming weekend, including what to look for, and who will advance to Championship Sunday around the NFL.
Then, as per annual tradition, John offers his predictions for the upcoming season of "The Bachelor" on ABC, the premiere is on Monday, January 23 at 8/7 Central on ABC and stream is available on Hulu, from who will receive hometown dates from Zach Shallcross, and who will receive Zach's final rose.
John discusses all six results from Super Wild Card Weekend across the NFL, the San Francisco 49ers' dominant 41-23 win over the Vikings, the Jacksonville Jaguars' epic comeback down 27-0 to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-30, the Buffalo Bills maximized their margin for error in a 34-31 win over the Miami Dolphins, the New York Giants downed the host Minnesota Vikings 31-24 on the right arm of QB Daniel Jones, the Cincinnati Bengals doomed their AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens 24-17 on a 98-yard fumble return touchdown by Cincinnati native Sam Hubbard, and the Dallas Cowboys pick up their first road victory in 30 years as they dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-14.
Then, John discusses some names to watch in the head coaching carousel in the NFL, and why the Arizona Cardinals are a better organization than they were 24 hours ago with the hire of Tennessee Titans player personnel director Monti Ossenfort to be their next general manager.
In today's podcast:
The 2022-23 NFL playoffs begin this weekend with six games on tap for Wild Card Weekend, with three storylines to get you guys set up for the weekend: How the matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars underscores two realities of the AFC: Patrick Mahomes is the elder statesman of the top quarterbacks in the conference (even though he's been starting for just five years for the Chiefs), and the conference is in great hands with several top young QB's in the same conference. Then, the New York Giants appear to have a significant advantage over the Minnesota Vikings going into their clash on Sunday afternoon, but not the one you're probably thinking of. Then, the Dallas Cowboys, 30 years removed from their last road playoff win, are under an immense amount of pressure to beat the 8-9 NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but nobody is under more pressure this weekend than Dallas QB Dak Prescott, who has thrown at least one interception in seven straight games.
Then, John makes his NFL picks against the spread for Wild Card weekend following a successful regular season, after he went 143-120-8 against the spread and 174-95-2 straight up.
In today's podcast:
John give retrospect to Georgia's dominant 65-7 victory over TCU in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last night, and why everybody should have seen this coming from Labor Day Weekend onwards. Then, John goes over the Green Bay Packers' season of misery, the Detroit Lions success, the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, and Jacksonville Jaguars making the playoffs, the major red flags the Dallas Cowboys showed in their 26-6 loss to the Washington Commanders, and the head coaching carousel that contains five teams this time. The Houston Texans fired Lovie Smith and the Arizona Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury as head coaches, while the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Indianapolis Colts searches begin for replacements for Matt Rhule, Nathaniel Hackett, and Frank Reich, respectively.
In today's podcast episode:
John talks about what an inspirational story Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is authoring with his survival, and how his cardiac arrest brought together fans of all teams and all backgrounds in support of him.
Later, he talks about successful weeks for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packer, and the New York Giants, and why Ron Rivera may coach his last game as head coach of the Commanders this weekend.
Then, Week 18 NFL Picks against the spread as per usual football podcast are on tap with many games with seeding implications.
Today, on New Year's Eve, join John as he looks back at the 22 stories that defined sports both on a national and international level in 2022, from political upheavel, individual resilience, to legends leaving and achieving greatness, and more!
In today's podcast:
John talks about some key developments across the NFL that will be relevant to the games in Week 17 across the league, from Tua Tagovailoa's latest concussion and Teddy Bridgewater taking over at QB for the Miami Dolphins as they get ready to play Mac Jones and the New England Patriots, the New York Jets getting Mike White back at QB in a boost to the team ahead of their matchup in Seattle against the Seahawks, the Las Vegas Raiders benching Derek Carr in favor of Jarred Stidham at quarterback for the game against the San Francisco 49ers, the one thing the Carolina Panthers have that will be a major advantage in their key NFC South matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the overtones and implications of the showdown on Monday Night Football between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati.
Then, he picks every game against the spread for the week. So far, John is 152-86-2 picking winners and losers, and 127-106-7 picking games against the spread after going 10-6 in both departments last week.
In today's podcast:
The Denver Broncos announced that they fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett after a 4-11 start to the 2022 season, and it was the right move, the only move, and had to be done now, but it still leaves a franchise in crisis as it hit perhaps its lowest point in their 63 year franchise history. The Green Bay Packers are alive and well in the NFC Wild Card race after a critical 26-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in Miami, and they can absolutely make the playoffs as the 7th seed in the conference, the Minnesota Vikings solidified Kevin O'Connell's case for Coach of the Year with a statement 27-24 victory over Brian Daboll, Daniel Jones, and the Giants, and the Pittsburgh Steelers won one for Franco Harris in an almost similar fashion 50 years to the weekend of the Immaculate Reception, and Kenny Pickett endeared himself with the fans of the Steelers with a game winning touchdown pass with less than a minute left.
Elsewhere, John makes his picks for the College Football Playoff Semifinals games between Georgia and Ohio State and Michigan and TCU coming up this Saturday, and discusses the Boston Celtics' big 139-118 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas Day, as well as the Philadelphia 76ers comeback win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Then the Carlos Correa mega contract with the New York Mets hit a snag with his physical, but they'll find a way to get the deal done.
Join John this week as he breaks down the probabilities for how the playoff seedings will shake out this season in the NFL, plus pick every game against the spread in Week 16 in the NFL.
In today's podcast:
John says that with the New York Mets shocking the world to sign shortstop Carlos Correa, the Mets have taken the throne as the evil empire in sports thanks to Steve Cohen's incredible shopping spree, and that the Mets should be the World Series favorites, the Yankees made their case as the team to beat in the American League thanks to their addition of prized starting pitcher Carlos Rodon to their rotation.
Then, he dives into why the Dallas Cowboys' ceiling is lower than that of fellow NFC powers in the 49ers and the Eagles, and why the New York Giants belong in the playoffs and their future is the brightest it has been in a long time, then he goes over some key injuries to Anthony Davis and Stephen Curry and how it'll impact their Lakers and Warriors teams.
In today's podcast:
John goes over some of the things he saw in the NFL in Week 14, including reality setting in for the Arizona Cardinals following Kyler Murray's season-ending injury, the Philadelphia Eagles' dominance, and Brock Purdy becoming relevant in San Francisco. Then, he goes over the crazy contracts for baseball's biggest stars handed out over the past few days, such as Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, and more, as well as Alexander Ovechkin's legacy following his 800th career goal! The FIFA World Cup Final is set between Kylian Mbappe and France and Lionel Messi and Argentina.
Then, John picks every game in Week 15 in the NFL against the spread.
On today's podcast:
With a three-game winning streak entering a winnable Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Rams tomorrow night, the Las Vegas Raiders have a more favorable than unfavorable schedule the rest of the season, but can they make the playoffs? Plus, what should the Baltimore Ravens be thinking about without Lamar Jackson available for their first clash with Kenny Pickett and the Steelers on Sunday? And do the Miami Dolphins have a viable path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs? If so, it starts by beating Justin Herbrt and the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football.
Then, John makes his picks and predictions for Week 14 in the NFL against the spread.
On today's podcast:
John discusses three blockbuster free agent signings that have taken place over the past 48 hours and the ramifications over them. Jacob deGrom signed a 5-year, $185 million deal with the Texas Rangers, Justin Verlander signs a two-year, $86 million deal with the New York Mets, and Trea Turner signs with the Philadelphia Phillies for an 11-year, $300 million deal as John reacts in real time to the breaking news.
John then says the College Football Playoff selection committee got the final four teams right, and the 12-team playoff in 2024 should be exciting for everyone involved in college football, and the Philadelphia Eagles re-established themselves as the team to beat in the NFC after demolishing the Tennessee Titans 35-10 on Sunday, and the San Francisco 49ers lost quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for the season on a broken foot.
Today:
John discusses some of the key matchups in Week 13 in the NFL, such as the importance of the Buffalo Bills to win vs. the New England Patriots in a key divisional tilt in Foxboro on Thursday night, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel making his return to San Francisco to face his old boss Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals meeting for the first time since last season's AFC Championship Game, the implications of the Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants game at MetLife Stadium, and DeShaun Watson comes off an 11-game suspension to face his old team, the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.
Then, John makes his official Week 13 NFL Picks against the spread. He had a good week last week going 11-5 straight up and 9-7 against the spread. He is now 115-64-1 straight up and 93-81-6 against the spread on the season.
In today's podcast:
John goes over the big takeaways from the weekend in the NFL, comparing the Arizona Cardinals situation to that of the New York Jets, the Green Bay Packers seem destined for a coaching change on defense, and the Denver Broncos embarrassing themselves... again!
John explains why Brazil's victory over Switzerland in the World Cup group stage is a big deal, and why Brazil and France should be considered the favorites to win the World Cup, and why Team USA will (and must) win vs. Iran tomorrow.
In today's podcast:
John makes his official predictions for Week 12 in the NFL, including the Thanksgiving Day matchups that feature the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions, the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, and the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings.
John enters the week with a 104-59-1 record straight up and 84-74-6 against the spread.
In today's podcast:
John discusses why the New York Jets disqualified themselves from the playoffs following a pitiful performance in a 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, why Patrick Mahomes added another chapter to his historic career with a thrilling 30-27 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night, and why the Eagles' path to victory over the Indianapolis Colts is significant going forward.
Then, he discusses everything going on with the College Football Playoff, with the Ohio State vs. Michigan game being momentous (again), and USC's return to prominence, and more. Then it's a discussion about Anthony Davis and the uncertainty with the Lakers this season, Ben Simmons returns to Philadelphia for the first time sincee the controversial breakup tomorrow night, and who is the team to beat in the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
Today, John makes his picks and prediction for all the games in Week 11 in the NFL, both straight up and against the spread, including big time matchups like the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings facing off in Minneapolis, and the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers going at it at SoFi Stadium on Sunday night.
In today's podcast:
John discusses a couple of critical takeaways from NFL Week 10, including the Bills' loss at home to the Vikings and the Raiders losing to the Colts in Jeff Saturday's NFL head coaching debut. He also discusses why there is only one real college game worth watching in terms of playoff implications, why the first month of the season proves things about the Lakers' mess and the Milwaukee Bucks having the best record in the Eastern Conference, and why the Astros, who won the World Series earlier this month, were the best team of his lifetime.
On today's podcast:
John discusses how the Green Bay Packers have fallen from grace this season, and why the latest debacle against the Detroit Lions is on a future Hall-of-Famer, why Patrick Mahomes is the best QB in the NFL, the Jets announcing themselves and why NFL fans who despise Tom Brady need to worry about a potential playoff run from Tom Brady.
Then, John makes his official picks and predictions for Week 10 in the NFL, and he has several underdogs having real chances to win this week.
In today's podcast:
John will discuss the impact of some of the biggest trades that went down before the NFL trade deadline, including Bradley Chubb going to the Miami Dolphins, T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings, and Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens.
Then, John will make his Week 9 NFL Picks against the spread, featuring three games with double digit spreads, and a couple of key conference tilts, including a 2021 NFC Divisional rematch between the L.A. Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, two teams that have been challenged offensively this year.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the following topics from the week in sports:
49ers dominate the Rams, and should return to the NFC Championship Game.
Colts are a disaster and Frank Reich and Chris Ballard should both be fired.
The Buffalo Bills are Super Bowl favorites are a reason, and they demonstrated that last night vs. Green Bay.
Tennessee-Georgia is essentially a play-in game for the College Football Playoff.
The Pac-12 is gonna be spicy down the stretch.
The Astros have the pitching advantage in Game 3 of the World Series tonight against the Phillies, and John still sees the Astros winning the series in seven games.
The Lakers need Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook all to show up on a nightly basis if they are to be taken seriously.
The Milwaukee Bucks are 5-0 and it's a reminder that Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the NBA and they are laying the seeds on another title season.
In today's podcast:
John handicaps the 2022 World Series matchup between the American League champion Houston Astros, who won 106 games in the regular season, and the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies, who overcame a mid-season managerial change and a slew of injuries to stun the baseball world in a Cinderella playoff run despite being the last team to clinch a playoff spot after accumulating 87 total wins in the regular season.
But despite the largest difference in win total between the two participants in the 100+ year history of the Fall Classic, can Bryce Harper keep carrying the Phillies to the point where they are world champions in the next 10 days, or will the mighty Astros finally get their second title after near-misses in each of the past four years?
In today's podcast:
John discusses why the matchup between the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday can be the best matchup on the schedule this weekend in the NFL, why the lack of accountability from the Buccaneers' organization has put them in the place where Tom Brady can run all over management, and why the 49ers are a dangerous team with Christian McCaffrey as they undergo their first full week together ahead of a key divisional tilt with the well-rested Rams.
Plus, Week 8 NFL Picks and Predictions.
On today's podcast:
John discusses some of the main headlines from Week 6 in the NFL, including the Bills improving to 5-1 with a statement 24-20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles remaining unbeaten by taking down their NFC East rivals in the Cowboys 26-17, the New York Giants going to 5-1 with a 24-20 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens, and the Green Bay Packers looking nothing like a championship caliber team in a 27-10 loss to the Jets at Lambeau Field.
John also discusses the NLCS matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres and the remaining balance of the American League with the Houston Astros getting ready to host Game 1 of the ALCS against either the Cleveland Guardians or the New York Yankeees.
Then, he quickly recaps some of the stories from Saturday's incredible college football schedule, including Tennessee knocking off 'Bama, and Michigan dominating Penn State.
In today's podcast:
John discusses three key games ahead of a fun slate of NFL action this weekend, headlined by the highly anticipated battles between Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills and Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, then a pivotal NFC East showdown at Lincoln Financial Field between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles with 1st place at stake. John also discusses the Baltimore Ravens facing off against Brian Daboll and the 4-1 New York Giants, and why winning is actually the point of playing football.
Then, he makes his official NFL picks for the weekend against the spread.
In today's podcast:
John goes over how important this Sunday night clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens will be for the playoff implications later in the season, and as for the game itself, how Lamar Jackson can overcome some surrounding injuries to lead his team to victory and who the Bengals need to show up and stop him. He also discusses the offensively challenged Super Bowl champions and why this week is a bad time for the Los Angeles Rams to run into the Dallas Cowboys.
Then, he looks to rebound and have a strong week with the picks for Week 5 in the NFL.
In today's podcast:
John goes through everything that went wrong for the New York Mets over the weekend as they got swept by the Atlanta Braves in a critical series over the weekend, and how the Braves' plans were eventually going to lead them to 100 wins and the division title. Also, the Mariners' road to the playoffs was the residue of a fantastic offseason plan and their willingness to go for it at the trade deadline.
Then, John goes through how the NFL is going to change as a result of the Miami Dolphins' poor handling of the Tua Tagovailoa concussion, discuss why the Bills' victory over the Baltimore Ravens on the road was the most significant development from Sunday's NFL action, and how the Pac-12 has become suddenly relevant again and is there a sea change looming in the Big 10?
In today's podcast:
John looks at the five games in the NFL that most interests him this week, ranging from a Thursday night clash between the Dolphins and the Bengals in Cincinnati with one team coming off an emotional and physically draining victory against an unbeaten team on a short week, and a Sunday night showdown between Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady in Tampa.
Then, he picks all the games in Week 4 in the NFL against the spread, looking to pick up where he left off last week.
On today's podcast:
John discusses the biggest stories across the NFL from Sunday's action, including the Dolphins' stunning victory over the Bills and the Broncos' defensive slog of a victory over the 49ers. Who is the best team in the NFL and who is the league MVP through 3 weeks? John discusses the NL East race and the one thing that could shake up the pennant race, Albert Pujols' place in baseball history after hitting his 700th career home run on Friday night, and the biggest winners and losers from FBS College Football action from Week 4.
Tune into today's podcast to see who John picks for Week 3 in the NFL this season. Some of his favorite matchups include the unbeaten Bills taking on the unbeaten Miami Dolphins in Miami, and another Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady showdown in Tampa as the Packers visit the unbeaten Buccaneers. And can his New York Giants advance to 3-0 for the first time in 13 years?
Here are topics discussed in today's podcast:
Miami Dolphins beat Baltimore Ravens with the right head coach and right mindset down 35-14 in 4th quarter
The Las Vegas Raiders blew a 20-0 lead at home against the Arizona Cardinals, proving John's point about Josh McDaniels isn't an NFL head coach.
The Cleveland Browns blew a 30-17 4th quarter lead against the New York Jets as karma hit them right in the mouth
Which team has been the most disappointing in the NFL to start?
Which teams have looked the best over two weeks?
The New York Mets are back in the playoffs (officially), but there are bigger fish to fry
The Chicago White Sox season comes down to this series vs. the Cleveland Guardians, whom they trail by 4 games in the AL Central
When will Aaron Judge surpass Roger Maris' home run record? And will Albert Pujols reach 700 career home runs?
Can the Milwaukee Brewers make the playoffs and catch either the Philadelphia Phillies or the San Diego Padres?
The Detroit Tigers make a smart outside-the-organization hire that could change the direction of the franchise.
The Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New York Rangers should all be excellent this season.
In today's podcast:
John disccusses the importance of avoiding an 0-2 start with 15 teams (and two others that tied) looking to get their first win of the season. He then looks at the two head coaches that are facing the most pressure this weekend, the huge opportunity that awaits the winner of the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night at Arrowhead, and more.
Then, he goes through some fantasy advice as well as his Week 2 NFL Picks against the spread, trying to build upon a solid first week where he went 9-7 against the spread.
In today's podcast,
John discusses the big takeaways from Week 1 in the NFL season, from Dak Prescott's injury for the Cowboys, Patrick Mahomes' dominant performance for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Arizona Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals on an insane finish, the San Francisco 49ers losing on the road to the Chicago Bears with Trey Lance having a poor performance for the Niners, the offensively-challenged Green Bay Packers losing to the Minnesota Vikings, and the New York Giants overcoming a 13-0 deficit to defeat the Tennessee Titans 21-20 on the road in Brian Daboll's NFL head coaching debut, and more!
He also goes on to discuss Carlos Alcaraz's US Open victory, Alabama barely beating Texas, Notre Dame losing at home to Marshall, Will Levis outdueling Anthony Richardson in the Kentucky-Florida game, and Caleb Williams and Jordan Addison running all over Stanford for USC, the Mets taking two of three in Miami, the AL Wild Card race featuring the Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Mariners, how the Minnesota Twins plan this season was bad, and Aaron Judge's quest to break Roger Maris' home run record.
In today's podcast:
John discusses several key storylines going into the opening weekend of the 2022 NFL season, from five first-time head coaches making their NFL debuts at the position, the Pittsburgh Steelers officially starting Mitchell Trubisky over Kenny Pickett for their Week 1 clash on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals, the opening night game between the Buffalo Bills and defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, and the first of 12 AFC West divisional clashes this season on tap for Sunday (Raiders @ Chargers at 4:25 PM ET on CBS).
Then, John makes his first batch of NFL picks against the spread for this season.
On today's podcast:
John discusses some of the biggest takeaways from Week 1 of the college football season, from Georgia's 49-3 blowout victory over Oregon, and Anthony Richardson's Heisman-like performance for Florida in an upset victory over Utah. Plus, he discusses the AL MVP race between Aaron Judge and his 54 home runs for the Yankees and Shohei Ohtani's dual-threat season with 32 home runs and 181 strikeouts in 130+ innings pitched. We also hear how real it was that Serena Williams could have won the US Open in her final major, and what are the NBA 2K23 ratings like?
Today is Labor Day in the United States, which means it is time for an annual tradition: To officially predict the 2022 NFL season.
Who will John pick to make the playoffs? What is everyone's win-loss records going to be? Who will win the awards of MVP, Offensive & Defensive Players and Rookies of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year? Will players from the same team get awards? And who will win Super Bowl LVII on February 12?
In today's podcast:
The San Francisco 49ers finally found a solution for their Jimmy Garoppolo problem... to bring him back on a new contract! How will that ripple across the NFL as the Super Bowl contender makes some noise? Also, what should we make of the Steelers' QB situation? And the Seahawks? How will Tyron Smith's injury change the outlook on the 2022 Dallas Cowboys? We also talk Bills' pressure, the Chiefs and Mahomes making the playoffs without Tyreek Hill?, and the Ravens' Lamar Jackson contract situation.
Then, we discuss some of the best college football games to be played this weekend, including Notre Dame/Ohio State, Oregon/Georgia, and Cincinnati/Arkansas, then discuss the big Mets-Dodgers series at Citi Field, Arte Moreno finally selling the L.A. Angels, the Orioles, Serena Williams, and R.J. Barrett.
On today's podast:
John discusses the Yankees' statement Subway Series wins over the Mets this week in the Bronx, and the Mets' ability to stay tough as they show the ingredients needed for a World Series run this season.
Then, with Kevin Durant back with the Nets for this season, does this news change the equation? And how did Derek Carr respond to rumors that the Raiders were interested in bringing Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to the Raiders following the 2019 season? Also, John says again Lamar Jackson needs to get paid for what he wants by the Baltimore Ravens, and the Carolina Panthers have officially named Baker Mayfield as the Week 1 starter at QB.
In today's podcast episode:
John discusses news across Major League Baseball, with the suspension of San Diego Padres star shortstop Fernando Tatis, Jr. of 80 games due to a failed drug test, the Texas Rangers firing Chris Woodward after four failed seasons as their skipper, the Yankees' offensive woes without Giancarlo Stanton, the Dodgers' pitching situation with Walker Buehler undergoing season ending elbow surgery, and the Miami Marlins' historically bad offense.
Then, he discusses the availability of Zach Wilson with knee surgery today, the job security of Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, and the genius of Patrick Mahomes in the NFL, and then with the first college football rankings of the season out from the Associated Press, he looks at if we are destined for an Alabama-Ohio State matchup in the National Championship Game in January, Notre Dame's schedule, and the emergence of the Texas Longhorns as a college football power again under Steve Sarkisian.
Today on Hooked on Sports:
John goes through what is next for the Detroit Tigers after they axed general manager Al Avila and what led the franchise to this point. The Cincinnati Reds got embarrassed this week at the hands of the New York Mets, and it is a reflection of the poor leadership there, and are the Cubs regreting not moving star catcher Willson Contreras at the trade deadline?
Also, is the vibe in Green Bay championship level when it comes to the Packers, and what about the Eagles, and Daniel Jones' last hurrah in New York?
In today's podacst:
John discusses the big winners and losers from the 2022 MLB trade deadline, including the Padres, who landed superstar outfielder Juan Soto in a trade with the Washington Nationals. Then, he discusses the big Mets-Braves and Dodgers-Padres showdowns to take place this weekend, as well as a tribute to the late Vin Scully.
Then, he says why Raiders fans should be concerned heading into the season, why the Patriots set themselves up to fail, why the Ravens will win the AFC North over the Bengals, Diontae Johnson means everything for the Steelers, a look at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022, and the latest on the Brittney Griner situation in Russia.
In today's podcast:
John discusses the New York Mets making a huge statement in taking two from the Yankees in the Subway Series this week, and what both teams can take away from this week. Also, the MLB trade deadline is just a few days away, and the first major domino has fallen, with the Yankees acquiring (a soon-to-be-vaxxed) Andrew Benintendi from the Royals, and new suitors emerge in the Juan Soto sweepstakes. Who should acquire Willson Contreras and David Robertson from the Cubs, and what should the Red Sox do with Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers?
Then, John claims that Trey Lance may be the biggest X-factor of the 2022 NFL season with the 49ers announcing this week that Lance will be the starting quarterback going forward and the Jimmy Garoppolo era coming to an end. Other NFL topics include the injury to Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Ryan Jensen, the New Orleans Saints seeing Michael Thomas return to practice, the open QB situation with the Carolina Panthers, the first year of Doug Pederson coaching Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars, why Patrick Mahomes should never be discounted, even without Tyreek Hill in the fold this season for the Kansas City Chiefs, why people will kick themselves in the foot for discounting the Denver Broncos with Russell Wilson, and the encouraging signs from New York Giants training camp under new head coach Brian Daboll.
On today's podcast:
1) John discusses the news that broke on Thursday about Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray receiving a 5-year, $230.5 million contract extension, why Kyler might not be worth the money, but why the Cardinals had to pay him.
2) The San Francisco 49ers told QB Jimmy Garoppolo that he can seek trades out of San Francisco with Trey Lance appearing poised to be the Week 1 starter for the 49ers. So what teams fit for Garoppolo? The New York Giants? The Seattle Seahawks? The Cleveland Browns? Someone else?
3) The news that the Washington Nationals are looking at trading star outfielder Juan Soto before the trade deadline sent ripple effects throughout Major League Baseball. So what are the pros and cons that each team looking to nab the Home Run Derby champ must consider? And does history really add up?
4) With training camps set to open in the next few days across the NFL, who made John's list of the 10 best QB's in the NFL going into the 2022 season? Where does Patrick Mahomes fall? Did Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford make the cut? And how should we make sense of the insane class of QB's in the AFC?
In today's podcast:
John discusses several key developments in Major League Baseball this week, from the New York Mets earning a key series win on the road against the Atlanta Braves, to the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners each riding their pitching to 10-game winning streaks, and the Los Angeles Angels' sad state of affairs to Tony La Russa's mess with the Chicago White Sox andd the Toronto Blue Jays axing skipper Charlie Montoyo.
He also discusses Jalen Brunson's 4-year contract with the New York Knicks and Kevin Durant wanting to make another move around the NBA, ending three tumultuous years with the Brooklyn Nets.
In today's podcast:
John takes a break from the traditional topics in sports to make his season predictions for the new season of ABC's "The Bachelorette" which features Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia as the co-leads. Fresh off a simultaneous dehumanizing breakup by Clayton Echard, the two friends now embark on a journey side by side alongside 32 of the most eligible bachelors in America. Who will get down on one knee and propose? Who will be factors this season? John makes his season predictions in this episode.
In today's podcast:
John starts to look ahead to the 2022 NFL season by ranking the eight divisions in the NFL based solely on the composite strength of the defenses in that division, then he reacts to the news that the Cleveland Browns traded quarterback and 2018 No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers.
In today's podcast:
John discusses topics around the NBA and the NFL, from the Golden State Warriors winning their fourth title in eight years, to the Houston Rockets moving Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks, and the Kyrie Irving saga with the Brooklyn Nets. Plus, he discusses the breaking news that Arch Manning has committed to play for the Texas Longhorns, the Steelers adding to their defense, Chase Claypool's comments about his rankings among NFL wide receivers, and Roger Goodell's commentary in his Congressional testimony, and more!
In today's podcast:
The Golden State Warriors are one win away from winning their fourth championship in eight years with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Steve Kerr, and company. But is Steph Curry a lock to be the Finals MVP should Golden State win? Plus, the warning the Celtics should have received following the Eastern Conference Finals about turnovers and consistency.
The Stanley Cup Finals begin tonight between the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning, in what is the most anticipated championship series in hockey in ages. So who is John picking to hoist the Cup?
Then the podcast discusses how the PGA missed the looming exodus of players from the PGA to LIV Golf in anticipation of the U.S. Open, what the NFL should and will do about the DeShaun Watson saga, why Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos not getting much attention is a good thing, why the Yankees are finally equipped to win a championship and what they must do to stay on track for championship #28, and why the Mets are currently the team to beat in the National League.
In today's podcast:
(01:17-14:24) John discusses how this year's NBA Finals are an opportunity for Stephen Curry to place himself among the all-time greats in NBA history, with his Golden State Warriors and opponent Boston Celtics each with one win so far in the NBA Finals.
(14:25-19:04) Then, he discusses the Colorado Avalanche sweep of the Edmonton Oilers en route to the Stanley Cup Finals, while the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning are still at least two games away from determining a winner in the Eastern Conference Final.
(19:04-29:41) The Philadelphia Phillies have fired manager Joe Girardi, while the Los Angeles Angels did the same with skipper Joe Maddon, so John explains if those firings solve the problems in Philadelphia and Anaheim. Plus, the Mets are off to a tremendous start with the best record in the National League, so can they withstand even more injuries to the likes of Starling Marte and Pete Alonso, why its okay to say the Yankees are currently the best team in baseball.
(29:41-36:54) John explains why Aaron Donald returning to the Rams means for the team's chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions, and why Aaron Rodgers and Deebo Samuel showing up for Packers and 49ers minicamps are a big deal.
In today's episode:
(01:56-16:28) The NBA Finals are now set, as it will be the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics taking on the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. In this exclusive preview, John says that the paths the two teams took to get to the Finals deserve respect, as they faced some of the very best players in the NBA to get to this point. The Celtics' first Finals in 12 years and the Warriors' sixth trip to the championship series in eight years (not done since the 1990's Chicago Bulls) will be a tremendous series with great matchups within this matchup, so who does John think will win and in how many games?
(16:29-27:16) We now know the identities of the NHL's conference finalists. First, the Western Conference Final begins tonight between the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche, and the highly anticipated first postseason meeting between superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid, and it is with a Stanley Cup Final berth on the line. Can McDavid and wingman Leon Draisaitl carry the Oilers like they did in the series against the Calgary Flames? Or will the Avalanche's depth and physicality reign supreme? Then the East finals are now set between the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the upstart New York Rangers, who just took down the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 on Monday night. John reveals an inconvinent truth about New York hockey as it relates to this series.
(27:17-51:07) This is John's first time reacting to the 2022 NFL Schedule since it came out on May 12 and he's got a lot of takes, and he even broke down the 272-game slate and revealed the results of him picking every game as the regular season begins exactly 100 days from today. What is the balance of power in the AFC West like? Can the Cowboys win the NFC East for the 2nd straight season against a much improved Eagles team? What will the Rams' title defense look like in the win-loss column?
In today's podcast
(02:30) - The NBA Conference Finals this season have featured numerous blowout games, and John says why he feels good about the Boston Celtics' chances of going to the NBA Finals over the Miami Heat, and how the legacy of Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors keeps growing. Plus, how should the Dallas Mavericks approach their offseason with a top-4 player in the NBA on their roster in Luka Doncic?
(20:29) - The second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs are winding down, so John breaks down the genius of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who stunningly swept the President's Trophy winner Florida Panthers, and what player is most indispensable to the Lightning dynasty. Also, which team should be trusted more in the Carolina Hurricanes-New York Rangers series currently tied at two games a piece? And the geniuses of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon finally clash in the Western Conference Finals? Surely appears headed that way.
(34:37) - The Mets and Yankees continue to take New York and MLB by storm, so how do their teams handle a recent barrage of injuries, and how evident they were in the crazy games each team played in last night? John takes a drive around the majors.
(44:14) - The Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets are both closing in on new head coaching hires. The Lakers are down to Kenny Atkinson, Darvin Ham, and Terry Stotts, while the Hornets will pick between Atkinson and Mike D'Antoni. Who should the Lakers hire? Who should the Hornets tab to coach?
(46:17) - The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to promote vice president of football & business administration Omar Khan to be their next general manager. John explains why this was the smart and obvious hire for the Steelers as they replace two-time Super Bowl winning GM Kevin Colbert.
In today’s podcast:
John goes over some of the biggest winners and losers from the NFL Draft. Did the Jets and Giants actually do good things in the draft for once? How did the Lions get better? And the New England Patriots worse? And why will some of the quarterbacks taken be steals at the end?
Then, he analyzes the Game 1’s of every NBA second round series, and did Luka Doncic’s performance last night solidify him as one of the elite players in today’s NBA? And what about Giannis’ triple-double vs. the Celtics in Game 1?
John then gives his Stanley Cup Playoff Round 1 predictions, and which of the top teams in the league will face token opposition in their first round series?
Then, he goes over the Yankees’ 10-game winning streak, the Reds losing 18 of their last 19 games, the Angels’ path to first place in the American League West, and then gives four horses to watch for in the Kentucky Derby this coming Saturday.
In today's podcast:
With the NFL Draft 24 hours away, join John today as he picks all 32 first round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft with mock trades. Who will the Jacksonville Jaguars select with the first overall pick? Will the Green Bay Packers draft a wide receiver in the first round, and will they trade up to get their target? Where will the top three tackles in Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu, and Charles Cross land? Will a New York team land prized cornerback prospect from Cincinnati in Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner? Will the New Orleans Saints trade up and draft a quarterback? Find out on the third annual Hooked on Sports Mock Draft special!
In today’s podcast:
John discusses key developments in all the sports leagues today.
Why the Ben Simmons trade proved to be a disaster for the Brooklyn Nets and why it underscores a bigger organizational problem for the franchise.
Why the Philadelphia 76ers haven’t impressed him yet as they appear to face the Miami Heat in the 2nd round in the NBA playoffs, and who is under the most pressure to elevate their game in a potential Sixers-Heat series.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ performance over the weekend with respect to team culture is why they’re the most trusted team in the Eastern Conference.
The Denver Nuggets’ championship dream was dead all along, and the Golden State Warriors should be a favorite to win a title this season.
John gives three NFL draft takes, one each on the wide receiver market in the draft, who should trade up to get one of the “Big Four” wideouts available this year, why the Seattle Seahawks should trade up for a second first round pick, and why the Dallas Cowboys should trade out of the first round.
Who has been the most disappointing team in the National Hockey League this year, and who might be the scariest team to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs?
There are lots of baseball news to discuss too, about umpire Angel Hernandez, Miguel Cabrera’s 3,000th hit, why the best teams in baseball are the best, how invaluable Byron Buxton is to the Minnesota Twins, and more.
In this week's podcast:
John discusses why star wide receiver Deebo Samuel publicly asking for a trade is a lose-lose situation for the San Francisco 49ers, why Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp showing up for L.A. Rams' voluntary team workouts says everything about the culture general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have put together since arriving in L.A. and what it means for the Rams as they look to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and why the Giants shouldn't panic about the idea of drafting Kayvon Thibodeaux with one of their two first round picks.
Plus, John says that although the Philadephia 76ers have a commanding 3-0 series lead vs. the Toronto Raptors, a needed development for the teams' championship hopes hasn't come to frution yet as they appear headed for a matchup with the Miami Heat in the 2nd round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Then, he discusses the injuries to Kris Middleton, Devin Booker, and Luka Doncic and how they've impacted the first round so far.
Finally, John discusses why the Rockies have surprised everybody so far and the Mets' feel in comparison from previous years, and the legacy of Miguel Cabrera as he closes on his 3,000th hit.
In this week's podcast:
John discusses the play-in victories for the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves and how they relate to their first round matchups in the NBA playoffs vs. the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies, respectively. Then, he reveals who he has winning each of the first round playoff series, and could the Eastern Conference be voiltaile this year in the playoffs? And can anyone defeat the Phoenix Suns in a best-of-seven series in the Western Conference playoffs?
Other topics: Scottie Scheffler was the No. 1 golfer in the world going into the Masters last week, and he held that title up in winning his first major title, there are some surprises in baseball this past week with the likes of Steven Kwan's electric debut and the Mets' starting pitching holding firm without their ace Jacob deGrom and the Rockies bullpen the reason they are 4-1.
Then, he dives into football topics with another layer in the Washington Commanders investigation into owner Dan Snyder, the Raiders extending Derek Carr, and how several teams, like the Saints, Chiefs, and Giants, can win this year's draft.
In this week's podcast episode:
John discusses how Kansas overcame history to win a championship in this year's NCAA Tournament, defeating North Carolina in one of the most dramatic Final Four games ever. How will North Carolina recover from their devastating loss to the Jayhawks? Then, he offically locks in his picks for the 2022 MLB season: Every team's win-loss record, awards, and the 2022 World Series pick. The Eagles and Saints pulled off a huge trade of draft picks that shook up this year's draft (as well as next year's). And how will the Lakers recover from one of the most disappointing seasons in NBA history after they were officially eliminated from postseason contention following a loss on Tuesday night vs. the Suns?
In this week's podcast:
John underscores how exciting this year's NCAA Men's Final Four will be with ACC archrivals North Carolina and Duke facing off in the Final Four semifinal matchup on Saturday night. This is the first time the two teams have ever played head to head in the NCAA tournament, in Mike Krzyzewski's last season as coach and in Hubert Davis' first. Also noted are the paths that Villanova and Kansas took to get to the Final Four as they play in the other semifinal at the Superdome in New Orleans. We also give a tribute to the historic run that 15th seeded St. Peter's made to the Elite Eight.
Then, John discusses what went wrong in the DeShaun Watson introductory press conference in Cleveland for the Browns on Friday and how the Chiefs' future isn't completely hopeless with Tyreek Hill no longer on the team. Then, he discusses the NBA races and two topics in baseball with the return of Albert Pujols for St. Louis to play his final season with the Cardinals and the Mets' dominant duo of aces in Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer taking the hill on Sunday in spring training down in Port St. Lucie and how that factors into the balance of power in the National League in the 2022 season.
In today's podcast:
The NFL QB market appears to have settled down after a couple of dramatic trades sent DeShaun Watson from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns and Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons to the Indianapolis Colts, while the Kansas City Chiefs dealt six-time Pro Bowl wideout Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for five draft picks and the Green Bay Packers traded All Pro Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. So what will the balance of power be like in both the AFC and NFC at this point of the offseason with a month to prepare for the draft? Also, John evaluates the notion that the New York Giants might benefit from having a few teams desperate to land a QB in the draft, with the 5th & 7th overall picks and several QB-needy teams drafting directly behind them.
Then, with two weeks left before Opening Day, free agency became settled with much of the high quality talent available off the board, so who were the winners and losers of the past week in baseball? Also, how will St. Peters' historic run to the Sweet 16 be remembered in college basketball history? And will Kentucky recover from their humiliating defeat? And was the Arizona-TCU game on Sunday night the best game of the tournament so far? And will tomorrow night's game against Texas Tech be Coach K's last game? All those answers and more are on tap on today's podcast.
In today's podcast:
John goes over all the significant MLB and NFL free agent developments over the last few days, makes his official predictions for the 2022 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and what went down the last couple of nights on the finale of "The Bachelor."
In today's podcast,
The MLB lockout mercilessly came to an end after 99 days following a new collective bargaining agreement on Thursday in which the players made significant financial gains, including a large pre-arbitration pool, higher minimum salaries, and a higher competitive balance tax, and the introduction of the universal DH, the banning of the shift, and a 12-team expanded postseason. This also triggered the start of another free agency frenzy in which several key moves have been made since the end of the lockout, including future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw returning to the Dodgers on a 1-year deal, the Giants striking a deal with Carlos Rodon on a 2-year, $44 million deal to solidify the rotation in San Francisco, and the Toronto Blue Jays bringing in starter Yusei Kikuchi on a 3-year, $36 million contract to shore up their rotation ahead of camps opening up on Sunday.
Also, the advent of this season's NFL free agency period brought about major trades and news across the NFL every day this past week, including the suspension of Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley for the 2022 season for illegally gambling on NFL games, the return of Aaron Rodgers to the Green Bay Packers, Russell Wilson traded to the Broncos for a host of high draft picks back to Seattle, the Indianapolis Colts moving Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders, the Chicago Bears trading star linebacker Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers, DeShaun Watson cleared of criminal activity following a year of investigation, and the Dallas Cowboys trading star wideout Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns to clear salary cap space.
In today's podcast:
John talks about how the delay of Opening Day in baseball after a failure to reach a collective bargainning agreement is a collective failure of all parties involved, from owners, league commissioner Rob Manfred, and the players. He also discusses Ja Morant's budding greatness, the Lakers' mess, how James Harden has added a much-needed dynamic for the Philadelphia 76ers that they didn't have with Ben Simmons, why Villanova once again proved themselves to be the team to beat in the Big East tournament, why Kansas (once again) can't be trusted in the Big Dance, Gonzaga's redemption tour is real, and around the NFL, why Aaron Rodgers should ask for a blank check from the Packers, why the Raiders should trade Derek Carr this offseason and which teams should ask for him, and the Kyler Murray drama in Arizona and the late breaking news of contract extensions of head coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim through the 2027 season.
In today's podcast:
John discusses two of the biggest trades of the past NBA trade deadline, such as the Brooklyn Nets sending James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a package that included Ben Simmons & Seth Curry, and a six-player blockbuster trade between the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers that sent Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento and Tyrese Haliburton to Indiana. Also, in perhaps the most exciting night of the NBA regular season to date, the Nets overcame a 28-point deficit to defeat the periled Knicks at Madison Square Garden without stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, LeBron James took over for the Lakers in a fourth quarter comeback victory against the Jazz, and Monte Morris drained a 3-point buzzer beater for the Denver Nuggets to sink the Golden State Warriors on the road. John explains why the Knicks should NOT fire head coach Tom Thibodeau and why Nikola Jokic is in the MVP discussion.
Then, he discusses the balance of power in the Big East, Big 12, and ACC conferences in basketball as tournament season heats up, and why Villanova is the team to the beat in the Big East, and why there are three teams in the Big 12 that should seriously consider national championship aspirations. Plus, John talks about the report that Duke's athletic department wanted to hire Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker to succeed Mike Krzyzewski at Duke and why it says something about Jon Scheyer as he prepares to coach Duke next season. Finally, he discusses why the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing have proven to be a disaster, especially both the living conditions for the athletes and the International Olympic Committee's handling of Russian figure skater Kamila Velieva's failed drug test and how it relates to Russia's state-sponsored drug program.
In today's podcast,
The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday night in a classic NFL game, full of twists and turns, so John discusses everything from the Rams' win and the performance of quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, and future Hall-of-Famers Aaron Donald and Von Miller on defense to the Bengals' loss and the Cincinnati offensive line to Joe Burrow to their cornerbacks.
In today's podcast:
John goes over all of the "X"s and "O"s related to all the particular matchups in Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. Who will John pick to win the Super Bowl on Sunday and who will be the Super Bowl MVP?
In today's podcast:
John gives his takes on the new head coaching hires from the past several days, including the breaking news that the Houston Texans have hired former Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith as their new head coach, as well as the Miami Dolphins hiring Mike McDaniel, the Jaguars bringing in Doug Pederson in to Jacksonville, and the Vikings set to introduce Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach after the Super Bowl.
Plus, he gives an outlook on the Brian Flores' lawsuit against the NFL and three teams, and how Russell Westbrook's trade value is diminishing and why the Nets need to trade James Harden before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.
In today's podcast:
(00:52-11:40) The Cincinnati Bengals shocked the world and defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime in th AFC Championship Game. John discusses the reasons why the Kansas City Chiefs lost at home to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game, and he discusses the Chiefs' play calling at the end of the first half, Patrick Mahomes' performance in the second half of the game, their inability to finish plays in the 4th quarter on defense, and that the season cannot be declared a success and with Mahomes' record contract extension kicking in next year, meaning a big hit on the salary cap, why the Chiefs will be making really difficult choices over the next three months. Plus, how did Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo figure out how to stop the Chiefs offense, and why the Bengals played like they had nothing to lose on their way to the Super Bowl, with a second year QB in Joe Burrow?
(11:40-18:25) The Los Angeles Rams are going to their second Super Bowl in four years following a 20-17 win over their NFC West division rival San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. So how did the Rams pull it out? How important was head coach Sean McVay's input in the Rams' game plan? Plus, how about the performances by quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham, Jr., with general manager Les Snead's fingerprints all over this roster? And the defense stepping up when it mattered the most in the 4th quarter? And flip side, what about how Deebo Samuel's injury changed everything in the game, and Jimmy Garoppolo's inability to get the job done in a big game for the 49ers and if Garoppolo's time with the 49ers is over? And the lack of discipline and poorly timed illegal procedure penalties on the 49ers?
(19:03-42:04) John goes around the NFL to talk about the recent head coaching hires around the NFL, with the Denver Broncos choosing Nathaniel Hackett to be their next coach, the Bears hiring Matt Eberflus, the Giants bringing in Brian Daboll, and the Raiders hiring Josh McDaniels as head coach and Dave Ziegler as next general manager? Plus, where should Jim Harbaugh go to coach next year if not Michigan, and what to make of the Jaguars, Texans, Dolphins, Saints, and Vikings head coaching searches? Plus, Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement and rumblings around the NFL suggest Tom Brady will do so as well.
In today's podcast:
(00:57-23:06) John discusses the latest breaking news surrounding the NFL this week, including the shocking departure of Sean Payton, who stepped down as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday to focus on other ambitions, but is his NFL coaching career over. The New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Minnesota Vikings all made decisions on their general managers over the last seven days. The Giants selected Buffalo Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen, the Bears hired Kansas City Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles, while the Vikings made an ambitious call with hiring Cleveland Browns Vice President of Football Operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. What does John think of the hires? Now that leaves the Las Vegas Raiders to choose their next general manager, and they can go at whatever pace they want and need to. Then, John goes over who should be the next head coaches of the nine teams that need successors at the position.
(23:45-34:39) Then, John picks the AFC and NFC Championship Game winners, and we have two games with rematches of thrillers at the end of the regular season. The AFC Championship Game has the Cincinnati Bengals travelling to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. The Chiefs are looking to go to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row representing the AFC. Meanwhile, the NFC Championship Game features two historic division rivals from the NFC West, as the Los Angels Rams play host to the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers won both matchups in the regular season, including a win in Week 18 to bring the team back to the playoffs, so will Sean McVay and the Rams take down Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers this time?
(01:11 – 46:39) John goes over what happened in the greatest Divisional Weekend in NFL history, with four amazing games, four instant classics. So what should people make of Ryan Tannehill’s performance in the Tennessee Titans’ 19-16 home loss against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, and who should get the most credit for Cincinnati’s first road playoff win in franchise history? Also, is it over for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers after their latest playoff failure? John goes over why the Packers lost 13-10 at home to the San Francisco 49ers and whether or not Aaron Rodgers will play for a different team next year, and how the 49ers should feel about their confidence going into the NFC Championship Game next week. The Rams collected a road playoff victory, as they survived a huge scare, overcoming blowing a 27-3 lead to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before winning at the final buzzer to win 30-27 in Tampa. So was that Tom Brady’s last game ever? And how did that game stack with games in NFL history? Then, finally, the epic showdown between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, in which Kansas City yanked out a 42-36 overtime win over the Bills in thrilling fashion, and John says Chiefs fans and football fans should never take for granted the greatness of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, while Bills fans might never recover from one of the most devastating losses a team could possibly suffer, and why it might take a while with impending coaching departures.
(47:38-55:48) John discusses what fans of college basketball should take away from the latest rankings, in which five Big East teams are in the top 25, while Auburn takes the top spot for the first time in program history following a strong 80-71 win over Kentucky. Meanwhile, the Baseball Hall of Fame will unveil its 2022 class in an announcement tomorrow night, so what will the fates of David Ortiz, Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens be? And how are the controversial labor negotiations going between the players and owners? Is there any real sign of hope that the 2022 MLB season will be played?
(55:50-1:03:12) We are at the midway point of the 2021-22 NHL season, so who are the five best teams in the NHL, and what teams have best distinguished themselves over the last six weeks?
(1:03:13-1:08:22) With more than half of the NBA season done, who are the five most valuable players in the NBA through the first three months of the season? Is Denver Nuggets’ star Nikola Jokic really in the MVP discussion? What about Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, or Giannis Antetokounmpo? John outlines his top five list for NBA MVP.
In today’s podcast:
(01:04 – 17:25) John goes over a few news stories from the NFL this past week. The Arizona Cardinals’ lost 34-11 to the Los Angeles Rams in the Monday Night NFC Wild Card Game and why their performance can date back to last year, where they missed the playoffs by one game and, therefore, lacked the requisite experience to handle pressure situations. The Las Vegas Raiders fired general manager Mike Mayock during the week, and John explains why they had to happen, and what should they do with interim coach Rich Bisaccia? The Seattle Seahawks parted ways with defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. this week, but John argues why there is a bigger picture problem with the franchise than just changing coordinators.
(17:25 – 30:18) When John went over his NFL previews before the season, he noted that four top quarterbacks, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady, were the reasons why their teams were going to compete, and to no surprise are playing in the divisional playoffs this weekend, which features an historic matchup between Allen and the Buffalo Bills, and Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, while Aaron Rodgers will try to reverse previous playoff losses vs. the San Francisco 49ers, and Tom Brady will try to beat back the Rams, a team he’s lost to each of his two previous times during the regular season.
(30:56 – 56:03) Alex Wilson from the Empire Sports Media brand joins the podcast today to discuss the state of the New York Giants, a franchise in a crossroads, and what the plan should be going forward, with how the Giants should approach the final stages of their general manager search, what type of head coach might the new GM want, how the team should approach the next NFL draft, where the Giants have five selections in the first 79 picks, and seven of the first 120, what to make of touted QB prospect Malik Willis from Liberty University, and how this relates to the team’s future handlings of Daniel Jones and salary cap situations. He also discusses why his New York Knicks are struggling, and dipped back below .500 with their 112-110 loss at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, and what the Yankees should address the most once the current MLB lockout ends.
(56:03 – 1:03:42) Then, John makes his picks for the four playoff games this weekend in the NFL. Will the Titans make their second AFC Championship Game in three years? Can the 49ers shock the world again and defeat the top seeded Packers at Lambeau Field? Can Matthew Stafford pick up his first road playoff victory against the defending champions in Tampa? And who will win the Allen-Mahomes matchup at Arrowhead?
In today's podcast:
John discusses why the Dallas Cowboys wasted a prime opportunity to win playoff games this year and why they lost to the San Francisco 49ers, the in-game and clock management and what led them down a path of endless annual disappointment, and if the Cowboys should make a head coaching change following the season (02:41 - 17:04), as well as other developments across the NFL during the games this weekend, like the Bengals' first playoff win in 31 years and a Bills-Chiefs rematch now set for Divisional Sunday (17:04 - 29:04).
We have hit the midway point of the NBA regular season, and there is an unclear picture in the Eastern Conference with 11 teams separated by less than seven games at the top, while the Golden State Warriors have struggled without Draymond Green on the floor and the Nets have new injury issues (29:44 - 35:49). Meanwhile, a topsy turvy season atop the college basketball rankings continues as defending champion Baylor has lost two games in a row at home to Texas Tech and Oklahoma, while Purdue and Wisconsin continue to flex their muscles in the Big Ten and Auburn, now No. 2 in the rankings, will now be battle tested again when they host John Calipari's Kentucky squad on national TV this week (35:50 - 41:19).
Plus, what should people think of the situation with Novak Djokovic not playing in the Australian Open because of his COVID vaccination status and comments an NBA owner made recently about the Uyghur Muslim genocide taking place in China?
In today's Hooked on Sports podcast:
John goes into depth on why the perception of the New York Giants should change now that the Giants fired head coach Joe Judge and compiled a lengthy and strong list of general manager candidates (03:18 - 11:59), and why George McCaskey's press conference earlier this week is proof that the Chicago Bears will produce more of the same mediocrity they've had for years and that there is no hope as long as Ted Phillips and Bill Polian are calling the shots for the Bears as they hire their fourth new head coach in a decade (12:00 - 19:07). Plus, he talks into why the Houston Texans fired David Culley and why the Miami Dolphins' head coaching gig is one of the least attractive of the seven or eight vacancies around the NFL (19:10 - 25:02).
Then, George Whitbread joins the show today to make picks and predictions for Super Wild Card Weekend in the NFL, and what two games do George and John disagree on in outright winners and which wild card teams can yank out a road victory (25:40 - 50:55).
Hooked on Sports SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @hooked_onsports (https://twitter.com/hooked_onsports)
Instagram: @hooked_onsports (https://www.instagram.com/hooked_onsports)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hooked-on-Sports-1768118293483899
John's personal SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @JohnFlynn97 (http://twitter.com/JohnFlynn97)
Instagram: @jayflizzie (https://www.instagram.com/jayflizzie/)
Snapchat: @jayflizzle2
In today's podcast:
John discusses the wild and wacky sequence of events in Week 18 in the NFL, including the unprecedented nature of the Chargers-Raiders game and how it lived up to the hype, how everything broke the Steelers way the last six weeks to get into the playoffs as the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs, and the Colts shocking loss to the Jaguars to end the season, as well as the 49ers comeback victory vs. the Rams to make the playoffs on the NFC side.
Then, he gets into the breaking news of head coaching and general manager dismissals, including both the Bears and Vikings firing their general managers and head coaches, the Giants letting Dave Gettleman retire, and the Broncos firing head coach Vic Fangio, and in other sports, his pick for the college football national title game between Georgia and Alabama, Klay Thompson's much-anticipated return to the court after three years away due to injuries, and the return of Kyrie Irving to the floor.
In today's podcast,
John exposes the hypocrisy behind Hub Arkush's comments about Aaron Rodgers not getting his vote for MVP because of outside circumstances and why they are irrelevant to the case against him, what the Pittsburgh Steelers should do to fix their roster after Ben Roethlisberger retires, and with reports about Jim Harbaugh potentially being tempted to return to the NFL, which head coaching vacancies best fit the bill for Harbaugh to be successful in the pros?
Then, John goes over the many playoff scenarios and implications ahead of this weekend's action and picks every game against the spread for Week 18 in the NFL.
In today's Hooked on Sports Podcast:
John goes over some of the highlights and big stories that came out of some of the college football FBS bowl games over the weekend, including a controversial take about players opting out of non-CFP bowl games and how that relates to their actual lives and love of the game, and why it should be no surprise that Alabama is once again in the national title game.
Also, John will discuss four key stories from the NFL on Sunday that should be discussed further, including the Antonio Brown saga, what might potentially hold the Dallas Cowboys back from winning a Super Bowl, the job status of Giants head coach Joe Judge, and the Cincinnati Bengals winning the AFC North with an astounding 34-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
In today's Hooked on Sports special!!
We have several topics of concern as we round out 2021, many of it predictions based as the calendar turns to 2022.
1) RIP John Madden (01:47-07:24)
2) NFL Awards Leaders with two weeks left in the regular season (07:27-19:31)
3) Week 17 NFL Picks & Predictions Against the Spread (19:33-37:55)
4) New Year's Six and College Football Playoff Bowl Game picks (37:57-41:28)
5) Headline Predictions for 2022 (41:28-46:07)
6) Predictions for Clayton Echard's season of The Bachelor (names to watch, final four, who will get Clayton's final rose) (46:08-1:01:15)
In today's podcast:
John looks at five important results from the weekend in the NFL and how it relates to the playoff picture, particularly in the AFC North, and highlights from the NBA's Christmas Day slate of games, including a wild comeback, and a flawed roster exposed.
In today's podcast episode:
John discusses what the Cleveland Browns should do next now that it is likely they're going to miss the playoffs in a disappointing season (01:02-06:49), why the Bears are taking so long to let go of head coach Matt Nagy and why general manager Ryan Pace needs to go too and not select the team's next head coach (06:50-12:54) and can the Philadelphia Eagles actually shock the football world and make the playoffs in the NFC? (12:54-17:09).
Then, John makes his Week 16 NFL Picks against the spread (18:28-36:42), and this week's games include huge divisional tilts like the Bills and Patriots squaring off in New England for AFC East supremacy, while the Ravens (probably without QB Lamar Jackson) duke it out with the Bengals for first place in the AFC North, and fascinating inter-conference tilts between contending teams, including the 49ers and Titans meeting up in Nashville on Thursday night, while the Dolphins visit the Saints on ESPN's Monday Night Football.
In today's episode,
John goes through the best from Week 15 in the NFL, and was the Saints' shutout victory over the division rival Buccaneers the best win by any team this season, and the fallout from the Bucs' injuries to Chris Godwin (tore ACL), Mike Evans (hamstring), and more (1:29), why nobody should want to face the San Francisco 49ers (8:45) or the Indianapolis Colts (10:36) in a potential playoff game, and why the Tennessee Titans' loss to the Steelers proves that the Titans will not make a deep playoff run, even if Derrick Henry returns from injury in time (12:58).
Then, John goes into how Buck Showalter is the missing link the Mets have been looking for, and why the 2022 Mets might be the best roster Showalter has ever managed, and how Showalter's entrance is a result of Steve Cohen taking over, and why having the right resources is a big deal in luring experienced coaches like Showalter to coach a team, and does this hire make the Mets a World Series or bust team next season (19:28). Plus, he explains why the Phillies should ABSOLUTELY sign Kris Bryant when the lockout is over.
Then, is the Lakers' season already doomed with Anthony Davis expected to miss time with a knee injury and did the Lakers make a mistake trading for Russell Westbrook (29:33), what to expect on the Christmas Day schedule in the NBA that includes a matchup between the NBA's top two teams in the Warriors and Suns (32:01), why John disagreed with the Ravens attempting a two-point conversion vs. the Packers on Sunday (36:58), and what on earth was the medium soda promotion the Giants had on Sunday and why it had everything to do with the Giants' poor play vs. the Cowboys on Sunday (41:00)
Twitter: @JohnFlynn97
Instagram: @jayflizzie
Snapchat: jayflizzle2
HOOKED ON SPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter & Instagram: @hooked_onsports
In today's podcast episode:
John goes over how all the playoff contenders stack up in the AFC and NFC with four weeks left in the regular season, and the teams that are currently on the outside looking in to watch for to make a run to the playoffs, how relevant the recent COVID outbreaks with the Cleveland Browns and L.A. Rams are to potential success the rest of the season, and fantasy matchups to consider for Week 15 in the NFL.
In today's episode:
John goes over some of the key games from Week 14 in the NFL, and he analyzes the trust levels fans should have when it comes to the Buffalo Bills, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and more! Plus, is it time for the Las Vegas Raiders to make changes?
Then, John will discuss NYCFC's miraculous run to their first championship, a classic Army/Navy game, Bryce Young winning the Heisman, Oregon naming Dan Lanning as their next head coach in football, the Sixers and Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons' trade rumors, and the Mets' managerial search down to three names.
In today's Hooked on Sports Podcast:
John details why the Cleveland Browns must defeat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday to keep their playoff hopes alive and whether or not quarterback Baker Mayfield is playing for his future in the divisional clash (1:14-5:39), and why he believes Tom Brady separated himself from the rest of the MVP candidates in the NFL in the past three weeks, and why the 44-year-old must not let up (5:40-9:57).
With many of his listeners in the final week of the fantasy football regular season, he also gives players you should consider starting and sitting this week to give owners the best chance to win (9:59-15:01) and offer his Week 14 NFL Picks against the spread (16:19-29:40).
Hooked on Sports SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @hooked_onsports (https://twitter.com/hooked_onsports)
Instagram: @hooked_onsports (https://www.instagram.com/hooked_onsports)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hooked-on-Sports-1768118293483899
John's personal SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @JohnFlynn97 (http://twitter.com/JohnFlynn97)
Instagram: @jayflizzie (https://www.instagram.com/jayflizzie/)
Snapchat: @jayflizzle2
In today's podcast:
John discusses the ramifications of the current baseball lockout and how soon the players and the owners can reach an agreement, and whether or not part of the season will be impacted by it (01:40 -06:40), the balance of power in baseball following a free agent frenzy unlike anything the sport has seen before (06:40-19:26), and the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, as voted on by the golden era and early baseball committees, including Tony Oliva and Gli Hodges (19:27-21:29).
Then, John goes over some of the takeaways from Week 13 in the NFL, from the fascinating Patriots-Bills clash on Monday Night Football in which the Patriots only called three pass plays the entire game, the Detroit Lions (finally) getting their first win of the season and under Dan Campbell, and why John believes the Ravens made a mistake attempting a two-point conversion instead of kicking the extra point to send the game into overtime late (22:47-36:29).
Finally, he'll discuss NBA topics including the Indiana Pacers' reported firesale, Stephen Curry, and the Knicks' mess, and in hockey the Philadelphia Flyers dismissing head coach Alain Vigneault after 2-plus seasons, and why the New York Rangers' early success this season should come as no surprise (36:31-41:59)
College football fans have gone through one of the wildest weeks in recent memory, with several Power Five conference programs changing head coaches, a sizzling slate of conference championship games, including the Big 12 championship game between Baylor and Oklahoma State that was decided by inches, and Alabama and Michigan dominating their way to the top two seeds in the College Football Playoff in the SEC and Big 10 title games, respectively. And Cincinnati becomes the first Group of Five team to ever make the College Football Playoff, as they are the only undefeated team in the FBS after last week's action.
In today's podcast:
John talks about how important this week's primetime games are in terms of the playoff picture across the NFL, with the Cowboys and Saints squaring off on Thursday night in New Orleans, the Broncos visiting their division rival Chiefs on Sunday night, and the Bills hosting the red-hot Patriots on Monday night.
Then, he offers his Week 13 NFL picks and predictions against the spread to cap off the podcast.
In today's podcast.
(01:14) John discusses an incredible weekend in college football, with Jim Harbaugh finally leading Michigan to beat Ohio State and go to their first Big Ten title game
(09:03) Did Bryce Young make his Heisman statement after leading Alabama from the dead to defeat Auburn?
(13:37) It's been a difficult 48 hours for Oklahoma Sooners football, after losing to Oklahoma State 37-33 in a wild Bedlam classic, being eliminated from the Big 12 championship game and the College Football Playoff discussion in one fell swoop, and then (18:57) head coach Lincoln Riley takes his talents from Oklahoma to be the next head coach of USC football.
(23:02) Max Scherzer signs with the Mets, a 3-year, $130 million contract per reports, and John determines whether or not this makes the Mets the team to beat in the National League following this move.
(29:52) Other players are looking to sign with teams before an impending lockout that'll freeze all transactions, with the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Miami Marlins amongst the most active teams over the weekend.
(35:00) John goes through some of the things he saw over the weekend in the NFL, including the Green Bay Packers taking down the L.A. Rams in a statement in the NFC, while the Baltimore Ravens won a game where Lamar Jackson threw for four interceptions.
In today's podcast:
(1:18) The New York Giants are in a deep crisis, and they just fired offensive coordinator Jason Garrett after another lackluster performance from their offense when they lost 30-10 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, so how did the Giants get to this point, and how should they get out of their deepest recession since the 1970s?
(18:14) The Philadelphia Eagles have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL through the last seven weeks (two games each with the Giants and Washington and one game against the Jets and Cowboys), so is it plausible the Eagles can win 10 games and make the playoffs?
(21:04) And what about the compelling race shaping up in the AFC East between the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots? Can the Bills find some form of consistency ahead of a brutal upcoming December schedule?
(26:57) And can the Patriots sustain their successes over the last six weeks and convert it to a division title?
(31:27) John picks all fifteen games against the spread in Week 12 of the NFL, so can he pick up where he left off last week with the picks?
In today's podcast:
John discusses the entertaining slate of NFL action we saw on Sunday, from a thrilling 41-37 victory for the Los Angeles Chargers over the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Minnesota Vikings picking up a key divisional win against the Green Bay Packers, and the final eight teams in the discussion for the 2021 College Football Playoff and the two names that are left for the Heisman Trophy consideration. Plus, he makes a pick for the anticipated UCLA vs. Gonzaga college basketball game tomorrow.
In today's Hooked on Sports podcast:
John discusses how the season outlook on the Kansas City Chiefs changed following a dominating 41-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday evening and how the Chiefs righted what was a sinking ship (01:40), why the New York Jets are 2-7 and how the Jets have gotten to that point and what needs to change (08:03), and how the Green Bay Packers made a case as being the best team in the NFC with a resounding 17-0 defensive victory over the Seahawks and why they're the favorites to be the top seed in the NFC playoffs (14:32).
Then, John picks all 14 games in Week 11 of the NFL against the spread, which features some great matchups, including the Cowboys and the Chiefs, and the Packers taking on the Vikings in a pivotal NFC North matchup.
Hooked on Sports SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @hooked_onsports (https://twitter.com/hooked_onsports)
Instagram: @hooked_onsports (https://www.instagram.com/hooked_onsports)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hooked-on-Sports-1768118293483899
John's personal SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @JohnFlynn97 (http://twitter.com/JohnFlynn97)
Instagram: @jayflizzie (https://www.instagram.com/jayflizzie/)
Snapchat: @jayflizzle2
In today's Hooked on Sports:
John discusses whether or not the outlook on the 2021 College Football Playoff changed following some eye-opening results from last week's games and whether or not Ohio State's dominating effort in their 59-31 victory over a ranked Purdue squad can lead to momentum and confidence for their games against Michigan State this weekend and Michigan the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Plus, John discusses how the Detroit Tigers signaled they're competitive again and the Los Angeles Angels finally invested in starting pitching by agreeing to a 1-year, $21 million pact with free agent Noah Syndergaard. He also touches on the Mets expecting to hire former Angels general manager Billy Eppler to be the next GM, Jose Berrios' mammoth contract extension and runs down who will take home awards this week
Hooked on Sports SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @hooked_onsports (https://twitter.com/hooked_onsports)
Instagram: @hooked_onsports (https://www.instagram.com/hooked_onsports)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hooked-on-Sports-1768118293483899
John's personal SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @JohnFlynn97 (http://twitter.com/JohnFlynn97)
Instagram: @jayflizzie (https://www.instagram.com/jayflizzie/)
Snapchat: @jayflizzle2
Today, John reveals who he would vote for in terms of the NFL awards with the regular season officially half way complete. He reveals his picks for MVP, Coach of the Year, Offensive & Defensive Players of the Year, Offensive & Defensive Rookies of the Year, and the Comeback Player of the Year. Then he discusses the latest news surrounding free agent wideout Odell Beckham, Jr., and ranks which teams make the most sense for the former Giants and Browns receiver, and then he reacts to the controversial taunting call impacting Monday night's Steelers-Bears game.
Then, he makes his weekly NFL Picks against the spread for Week 10 in the NFL, which features some big games in terms of playoff implications, such as the Cleveland Browns-New England Patriots clash at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday (New England is picked by 1 1/2 points), while the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders meet at Allegiant Stadium in Vegas (the Chiefs are favored by 2 1/2 points).
In today's episode, John talks about another wild week in sports:
The Tennessee Titans made a massive statement without Derrick Henry by defeating the mighty Los Angeles Rams 28-16 (2:01), while the Cleveland Browns bounced back to earn a massive victory on the road against the division rival Cincinnati Bengals 41-16 (8:29) in the two biggest statement victories across the National Football League on Sunday. John then goes over Jordan Love's first NFL start for the Packers as they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 13-7 (12:12), and the potential effects of everything leading up to the Packers' loss, and how the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled off a MASSIVE upset against the Buffalo Bills (17:45), and how Josh Allen (of the Jaguars) made a massive impact against Josh Allen (of the Bills).
Then, John discusses the weekend in college football and how Michigan State, Wake Forest, Texas A&M, and others impacted the scales in the FBS landscape (25:20), the Braves capturing their first World Series crown since 1995 (39:16), and how Buster Posey's Hall of Fame resume stacks up against other catchers after he announced his retirement from baseball last week (40:44).
There are 14 games on the schedule this week across the NFL, so who will win and who will lose across the league this week?
In today's episode of Hooked on Sports:
The 2021 World Series between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves is nearing it's climax. With the Braves holding a three games to two advantage going into Game 6 in Houston on Tuesday, can the Braves hang on to win their first world championship in 26 years, or can the Astros overcome a 3-1 series deficit and win? (02:07) John recaps the shocking results from yesterday's action around the NFL, including the four backup quarterbacks that won games, with Mike White & the New York Jets taking down the Bengals, Geno Smith and the Seahawks bouncing back to beat the Jaguars, Trevor Simeian coming in relief of Jameis Winston (who tore his ACL) to beat the defending champion Buccaneers, and Cooper Rush filling in for Dak Prescott to lead to the Dallas Cowboys to a last minute victory over the Vikings in primetime (12:36), the breaking news that broke during recording that the Los Angeles Rams acquired superstar defensive lineman Von Miller from the Denver Broncos (20:51), who John would like to see get moved ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline (23:00), and the injury to Derrick Henry (26:30).
Then, John discusses how the College Football Playoff race is down to 12 teams and all the potential scenarios for the committee to come up with the four teams (29:55), why the Chicago Blackhawks sexual abuse scandal is such a painful moment for the NHL (39:55), why the Knicks and Bulls both starting 5-1 is significant and a great thing for the NBA (44:48), and why he loves the Padres hiring Bob Melvin to be the team's manager and not the Cardinals hiring Oliver Marmol (48:11).
In today's podcast, John discusses three matchups that can prove pivotal to the playoff race that will take place this weekend, with the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals set to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers without COVID-stricken Davante Adams, the Colts' only chance to get back into an AFC South race with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, and the Saints trying to get to 5-2 with an upset win over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Then, John offers all of his picks and predictions (straight up and against the spread as usual) for Week 8 in the NFL.
In today's podcast:
John discusses how Penn State's (9 overtime) loss at home coming off their bye week to an unranked Illinois team impacts the legacy of the James Franklin era with Penn State football and why the upset is such an encouraging sign for the Illinois program with first year head coach Bret Bielema (1:13).
He also discusses whether or not the Cincinnati Bengals are the best team in the AFC after a 41-17 blowout win over the Ravens in Baltimore, and why the presence of Joe Burrow will be a boon for the franchise in the near future (11:38), the future of Sam Darnold and the Carolina Panthers after a poor performance on Sunday against the New York Giants, and whether or not the Giants should get credit for holding the Panthers to three points (18:32), if the Kansas City Chiefs can recover from a 3-4 start and a game where the Chiefs were limited to three points in a 27-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans (22:18), whether or not Kyler Murray is the front runner for NFL MVP honors after another dominant performance by his Arizona Cardinals against the Houston Texans (24:13), and if the San Francisco 49ers can solve their quarterback situation before it is too late (27:25).
Plus, Ja Morant is turning into a superstar for the Memphis Grizzlies, but his 40-point performance against the Lakers on Sunday proved not to be enough as Russell Westbrook is showing why the Lakers can absolutely win a second NBA title in three years (32:25), Steph Curry continuing to show he's a video game character as the Warriors are off to a 3-0 start, headlined by a 45-point masterpiece on Thursday night vs. the Clippers (37:16), and about the Chicago Bulls' 3-0 start and whether the Bulls can sustain their strong opening (40:34)?
The Vegas Golden Knights are off to a sluggish beginning, but can they shrug off the slow start and bounce back, given that John has them going to the Western Conference Finals (43:15), and why the New York Rangers' 4-0 road trip proves that they're a playoff-caliber team (45:18).
Then, John offers his thoughts on the Houston Astros winning the American League (47:10), the Atlanta Braves heading to their first World Series since 1999 (50:01), and who wins the 2021 World Series (52:54).
Today, John discusses the opening of the NBA season, offers his 2021-22 NBA Predictions, early returns in the NHL season, reactions to the Braves going up 3-1 in their series vs. the Dodgers in the NLCS, while the Astros took a 3-2 lead in the ALCS with a big win over the Red Sox in Game 5 with a chance to win their third American League pennant in five seasons tomorrow night. Plus, John offers his Week 7 NFL picks against the spread at the end of today's podcast.
Today, John discusses how the Jon Gruden scandal is a significant setback for the NFL if the league wants to be more inclusive, and how the Baltimore Ravens could have been 1-4, but thanks to Lamar Jackson, they're 4-1. Plus, 14 games are on tap this weekend in the NFL, so who will John pick against the spread this week, starting with Thursday's clash between the Bucs & Eagles.
BONUS: John also makes his picks for the American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros at the end of today's episode.
In today's episode of Hooked on Sports:
(03:11) John goes over the wild Saturday in college football, ranging from Texas A&M's astounding upset win over top ranked Alabama, Iowa's comeback victory against Penn State, the insane finishes to the Red River Rivalry Game between Texas and Oklahoma as well as the SEC offensive slugfest between Ole Miss and Arkansas, Notre Dame's comeback win over Virginia Tech and Michigan surviving a tough challenge against Nebraska in Lincoln, and Georgia seizing a firm grip as the best team in the country with a blowout in at Auburn.
(19:31) John also discusses the Seahawks' mess and why their failure to address areas of need and the injury to star quarterback Russell WIlson is why the end is here for the Seahawks, as well as a wild NFL Sunday that saw the Packers earning a tough victory over the Bengals and the Bills have become the team to beat in the AFC with an astounding blowout victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
(34:19) The MLB Playoffs have been quite a doozy through its first six days, and John will discuss why the Red Sox took down the Yankees in the Wild Card game and the events that led up to the Chris Taylor walk-off home run in the National League Wild Card game to help the Dodgers get past the St. Louis Cardinals, and the fascinating set of Divisional Series so far across the league, with the Atlanta Braves up 2-1 in their series over the Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers and Giants even at one game a piece, the Red Sox have a 2-1 series lead over the Rays thanks to a controversial rule, and the Astros are up 2-1 on the White Sox in their series after missing an opportunity to close out the South Siders last night.
(44:44) And finally, John wraps up the show by locking in his 2021-22 NHL playoff picks and predictions. He says which sixteen teams will make the playoffs, and how will the expansion Seattle Kraken fare in their first year in the league, and can the Tampa Bay Lightning three-peat as Stanley Cup champions?
Today, John is all over a few topics from NFL news over the last few days, including two significant defensive players changing teams, as the Carolina Panthers acquired fowrmer NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore from the New England Patriots, while former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith signed with the Green Bay Packers, and wondering whether or not Daniel Jones can continue to improve in his third season in the NFL.
Plus, as per usual, picks and predictions in Week 5 in the NFL are included in the second half of the podcast.
The first game Tom Brady played in New England as a visiting player lived up to the hype; it was a classic chess match against Bill Belichick that Tom Brady won. Plus, with a wild 2021 regular season over in baseball, who does John have making deep playoff runs, and who survives the Wild Card games on Tuesday and Wednesday, and is the Urban Meyer era over in Jacksonville way sooner than everyone thought?
John goes in depth on three topics this week leading up to Week 4 in the NFL: The Bears' offense performance vs. the Browns on Sunday and how it stems back to years of mismanagement, the Steelers, and Derek Carr as the leader for NFL MVP through three seasons? That, and more, as Week 4 commences across the NFL.
Here are the spreads for Week 4 in the NFL
Jaguars @ Bengals (CIN -7.5)
Washington @ Atlanta (WSH -1.0)
Texans @ Bills (BUF -16.5)
Lions @ Bears (CHI -3.0)
Panthers @ Cowboys (DAL -4.5)
Colts @ Dolphins (MIA -2.0)
Browns @ Vikings (CLE -1.5)
Giants @ Saints (NO -7.5)
Chiefs @ Eagles (KC -7.0)
Titans @ Jets (TEN -7.0)
Cardinals @ Rams (LAR -4.5)
Seahawks @ 49ers (SF -3.0)
Ravens @ Broncos (DEN -1.0)
Steelers @ Packers (GB -6.5)
Buccaneers @ Patriots (TB -7.0)
Raiders @ Chargers (LAC -3.5)
Just one week remains in the 2021 Major League Baseball season, and there as a wacky five-team race in the American League Wild Card, as five teams are separated by four games for the top spots. This comes after a dramatic weekend where the Yankees swept the Red Sox at Fenway to seize the lead for the top Wild Card spot. But Boston holds the second Wild Card, with the Blue Jays one game back, with Mariners two back and the A's three back. Who does John see facing off in next week's Wild Card game? John also gets into the performances of Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener and Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz as well as Arkansas' statement victory over Texas A&M over the weekend. And with training camps opening across the NBA on Tuesday, John looks into three topics of discussion, ranging from Ben Simmons' absence from Sixers training camp, comments the Warriors made about Klay Thompson's return, and obstacles the Milwaukee Bucks have to deal with if they want to repeat as NBA champions.
In today's podcast:
The Chicago Bears announced on Wednesday that rookie quarterback Justin Fields will make his first NFL start on Sunday as the 1-1 Bears visit the 1-1 Cleveland Browns; John explains why Bears fans should be rejoicing in the news. Also, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Los Angeles Rams face off in the only clash of unbeatens on Sunday, but is this a preview of the NFC Championship Game? And the Giants and Falcons meet on Sunday with both teams avoiding 0-3 starts, so who is winning this weekend?
Summary of picks so far:
Straight Up: Week 2: 10-6, Overall: 16-16
Against the Spread: Week 2: 10-5-1, Overall: 14-17-1
Spreads for this week's games:
Panthers @ Texans (TNF) - CAR -8.0
Washington @ Bills - BUF -8.0
Bears @ Browns - CLE -7.0
Ravens @ Lions - BAL -8.5
Cardinals @ Jaguars - ARI -7.0
Chargers @ Chiefs - KC -6.5
Saints @ Patriots - NE -3.0
Falcons @ Giants - NYG -3.0
Bengals @ Steelers - PIT -3.0
Colts @ Titans - TEN -5.5
Jets @ Broncos - DEN -10.5
Dolphins @ Raiders - LV -4.0
Buccaneers @ Rams - TB -1.0
Seahawks @ Vikings - SEA -1.5
Packers @ 49ers SF -3.5
Eagles @ Cowboys DAL -4.0
It was a rollicking second Sunday of the NFL season, with so many games being uber-competitive, and John gets into detail why the Baltimore Ravens defeating the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night was a big deal, as was the Las Vegas Raiders picking up a road victory in Pittsburgh against the Steelers. Then, he discusses why there should be major concerns about the Eagles after they lost their home opener to the 49ers, and how the Cowboys overcame the elements to take down the Chargers. And why should the Washington Football Team be concerned about its defense? That and a lot more coverage today, as well as Penn State and Alabama football winning, and the playoff races in baseball, particularly the AL Wild Card and the NL West
It's week 2 of the NFL season, and there are sixteen teams that are trying to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start, and even though all 20 teams that started their seasons with two straight losses the last two seasons have missed the playoffs, this year might prove to be different, and John explains why. Also, will Ryan Fitzpatrick's injury prove to be a sorry scenario for the Washington Football Team as they take on the division rival New York Giants tonight, and what about the injury to DeMarcus Lawrence for the Cowboys?
Today's episode looks at the good, the bad, and the ugly from Week 1 in the NFL, with the Dallas Cowboys looked like a playoff-caliber team in spite of a last second loss to the Buccaneers on Thursday night, while Aaron Rodgers suffered the most lopsided loss of his career as he threw 2 interceptions and just 133 passing yards in a 38-3 loss to Jameis Winston and the Saints.
Also, John discusses Iowa's statement win over in-state rival Iowa State on Saturday and what that means for the Big Ten the rest of the season, and the Blue Jays making their case as a World Series contender as the hottest team in baseball with three weeks left before the playoffs begin.
The NFL is back! And so is Hooked On Sports' weekly NFL preview show, where John Flynn makes his picks and predictions against the spread for the upcoming week of games in the NFL. And there are some good games out there this week. Can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers begin their Super Bowl title defense with a victory over Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night? In a potential playoff preview, can the Cleveland Browns go into Kansas City and take down the two-time defending AFC Champion Chiefs? And how will Mac Jones do in his NFL debut as his New England Patriots host Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins in a showdown of former Alabama QB's?
But before John gets into his picks, he discusses two topics that could be huge storylines in the NFL in 2021: The strength of the NFC West, and the invaluability of a strong offensive line with stadiums back to full capacity.
Last year's records with the picks: Straight Up: 185-83-1, Against the Spread: 133-129-7
NFL Spreads:
Cowboys @ Buccaneers (TB -8.0)
Eagles @ Falcons (ATL -3.0)
Steelers @ Bills (BUF -6.5)
Jets @ Panthers (CAR -5.5)
Vikings @ Bengals (MIN -3.0)
49ers @ Lions (SF -7.5)
Jaguars @ Texans (JAX -3.0)
Seahawks @ Colts (SEA -2.5)
Cardinals @ Titans (TEN 3.0)
Chargers @ Washington Football Team (LAC -1.0)
Browns @ Chiefs (KC -6.0)
Dolphins @ Patriots (NE -3.0)
Packers @ Saints (in Jacksonville) (GB -3.0)
Broncos @ Giants (DEN -3.0)
Bears @ Rams (LAR -7.5)
Ravens @ Raiders (BAL -4.5)
In this week's Hooked on Sports:
An entertaining Week 1 of the college football season brought about new hope in the sport, with full capacity venues, and compelling performances. John looks into the thrilling game between Florida State and 9th ranked Notre Dame and why Florida State is a feel-good story in the ACC with McKenzie Milton overcoming a serious injury, and how Alabama distinguished itself with a 44-13 blowout victory over 14th ranked Miami. The baseball season enters its final four weeks of the season and the Giants held serve to own the best record in baseball with a statement series win over the Dodgers.
Finally, John unveils and locks in his 2021 NFL season predictions: Win-loss records for all 32 teams, the playoff field, award winners, and the Super Bowl LVI matchup.
In this week's Hooked on Sports Podcast:
A new era has begun in Foxboro as the New England Patriots named Mac Jones as the starting quarterback and released Cam Newton, so how will it unfold. How will David Bakhtiari's injury impact the Green Bay Packers' quest for a championship, and should the Giants be concerned about the offensive line as the season begins?
That, and a lot more this week!
On this week's podcast:
John explains why he disagrees with the decision of the Chicago Bears to start Andy Dalton as their Week 1 starting quarterback, how Cam Newton's COVID situation opens the door on Mac Jones to make his NFL debut, and why it's no surprise that Teddy Bridgewater got the nod over Drew Lock in the Broncos' QB battle. Also, numbers back up his claim that the Seahawks will eventually regret extending star safety Jamal Adams, and why he thinks the pennant races in baseball this year are intriguing.
This Week on the Podcast:
The landscape in baseball has certainly changed after the trade deadline, with the Phillies surging and four teams in the AL East are at 10 games over .500 or more, and the Cubs trading away their core players. John outlines the impacts of arguably the most dramatic sports trade deadline in recent memory from two weeks ago.
Plus, John focuses and chimes in on four stories in NFL training camps as preseason games for most of the league get underway: Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy's comments on HBO's "Hard Knocks" season premiere, star quarterback Josh Allen signing a new six year contract extension last week, how the Chicago Bears should manage their quarterback situation, and why Colts fans should be optimistic and feel relieved about early returns from injury for quarterback Carson Wentz and All-Pro left guard Quentin Nelson.
Then, John discusses the Russell Westbrook to the Lakers trade, and the Knicks beefing up their roster by retaining several key free agents and adding ex-Celtics Kemba Walker and Ryan Fournier.
Hooked on Sports Twitter & Instagram: @hooked_onsports
John's personal Twitter: @JohnFlynn97, Instagram: @jayflizzie
For more information on COVID-19 vaccine distribution and locations, please visit vaccines.gov
After a summer of turmoil, Aaron Rodgers will in fact play for the Green Bay Packers this season, and John believes in the first segment that it changes the whole equation in the NFL this season. Elsewhere, Simone Biles shocked the world with a courageous change in heart about competing in the gymnastics all-around events in the Olympics after a mental health issue got to her. Give her credit for acknowledging the issue, but John thinks it exposes hypocrisies of both liberals and conservatives in America on the mental health debate and believes nobody is going to win that debate. John also discusses the return of Joe Burrow and the pressure on Daniel Jones, and the latest on baseball's trade deadline.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA title in 50 years on Tuesday night with a captivating 50 point performance, but what NBA legend was John reminded of last night in watching the 2-time MVP close out the Phoenix Suns, and why was last night such a hopeful night for the NBA? John also discusses news regarding the 49ers, including defensive back Jimmie Ward calling out new Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, how head coach Kyle Shanahan should handle the team's quarterback situations between Jimmy Garappolo and rookie Trey Lance, and two of the league's best linebackers securing long term contracts on Wednesday just before training camp. And, should American soccer fans be worried after the American women lost their Olympic opening match against Sweden? And the residents of Brisbane, Australia should be excited after learning that the city will host the 2032 Summer Olympics.
After an exciting and successful weekend in sports, John unpacks everything that went on, including Giannis' dominating Game 3 of the NBA Finals and whether his legacy is on the line in this year's Finals, and what the Bucks must do to win Game 4 tonight. He also discusses other issues like the good and the bad of MLB All Star festivities this year, Italy capturing its first European title in soccer in 53 years, how gymnast Simone Biles is silencing her critics ahead of next week's Tokyo Olympics, and more!
This week's podcast dives into the NFL defenses as the league gets ready for training camps to begin at the end of the month; John will look at all the league's defenses and power rank each division solely by its collection of defenses. But before he unveils his rankings, he gets into hot button stories such as Sha'Carri Richardson's marijuana usage, the Olympics taking place without fans (likely), the NBA Finals getting underway, and the Stanley Cup Final potentially wrapping up tonight.
The Phoenix Suns are set to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993 and for just the third time in franchise history after defeating the L.A. Clippers in the Western Conference Finals. So what should the expectations be for Phoenix in the Finals? The East picture is less clear, however, with both the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks missing their best players in this stage of the series, but there is one take Flynn is bullish on, who knows how it would turn out. He also gets into the Tampa Bay Lightning's series victory over the Islanders and the Montreal Canadiens' Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final, and why their regular season record should not suggest a fluke, and talks about the problems the Phillies and Yankees are facing as the All-Star break approaches.
Amidst Flynn's new microphone, he gives a blunt analysis on the state of the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers following gruseome Game 7 defeats in their respective Eastern Conference Semifinals series. The Nets lost their series to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Sixers dropped Game 7 to Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night. So what questions should be raised about the future of the Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving/James Harden Nets and about Ben Simmons' future in Philadelphia.
Also, who will win the Western and Eastern Conference Finals? Flynn makes his predictions as they get underway.
Can the Islanders recover from their 8-0 blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5? And can the Montreal Canadiens recover from their overtime loss against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night? That, and more in a new era on this podcast.
Timemarks:
The new microphone (0:05)
Lessons Nets should learn from disappointing sason (4:41)
Lessons Sixers should take away from their season (14:14)
Conference Finals Previews (22:12)
NHL Roundup (28:08)
NFL - Jets interested in multi-year deal with Morgan Moses, and Carl Nassib comes out (34:08)
MLB quick hits (36:08)
WE'VE HIT ONE HUNDRED EPISODES!
But that doesn't stop John from talking about some big news in sports this week, and has some unpopular takes on the big trade that sent All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones from the Atlanta Falcons to the Tennessee Titans, particularly from a Falcons perspective that they might... win the trade after all?!?! Plus, he gets into the sticky situation between the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers and how it relates to Rodgers... coming back?!?!, and rounds up the Stanley Cup and NBA Playoffs, including Bruce Cassidy's comments about officiating in the Bruins-Islanders series. Also, if the Yankees fire Aaron Boone, John gives a familiar name to replace him as manager, and can anyone in the NL East compete with the Mets in the division?
Julio Jones traded from Falcons to Titans (01:24)
Aaron Rodgers saga (14:31)
Stanley Cup Playoffs Roundup (17:08)
NBA Playoffs Round-Up & Embiid's value to the Philadelphia 76ers (32:19)
Time for the Yankees to make changes? (40:03)
Jacob deGrom's greatness and a big problem in the NL East (47:41)
In a voluminous week to talk sports, John talks about the surprise announcement of Danny Ainge stepping down as Boston Celtics president of basketball operations and head coach Brad Stevens replacing him, and who the team might hire as their next head coach. Also, can the Lakers bounce back and win Game 6 against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday evening and keep their season alive, potentially without Anthony Davis? And John says it's time for the Toronto Maple Leafs to face reality, for Canada's sake, after they blew a 3-1 series lead against the Montreal Canadiens and were eliminated with a Game 7 loss at home on Monday.
Plus, John looks at the baseball standings two months into the season, talks about the Giants, Cubs, Pirates, Mets, and some of the key matchups this weekend, including a fun four-game series in San Diego with great pitching between the Padres & Mets, and the Red Sox and Yankees facing off for the first time this season in the Bronx. Then, he'll predict the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and go through the rest of the matchups in the NBA Playoffs.
This week's podcast dives all into the NBA Playoffs, and why one team's future is very much in doubt, some of the impressive team performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, such as the Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets, and then discuss the futures of NFL stars in trade limbo like Atlanta's Julio Jones, and the missing-in-action-from-Packers-OTA's Aaron Rodgers.
NFL fans had been anticipating the night that the schedule would be released for months now, and now they know when their teams are playing who, the much-discussed primetime slate of games across the networks, and the must-see matchups that'll generate the buzz and importance, beginning with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beginning their Super Bowl title defense on September 9th when they host the Dallas Cowboys. John talks over the games that stood out to him when reading and reviewing the schedule, and notice the common themes that John stresses when he looks at the schedule. Also, John makes his picks and predictions for Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the matchups pretty much set, and discusses the NBA playoff picture as it becomes more clear. And can Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit overcome the controversy surrounding his victory and drug tests and capture the Preakness at Pimlico on Saturday?
John offers two winners and two losers from the 2020 NFL Draft, and of course, the feud between Aaron Rodgers and the Packers and how that's likely going to end. He also talks about the state of the NBA playoff races and reacts to the New York Rangers making sweeping changes.. again, and more.
A much-anticipated NFL Draft Week is here, and there are so many intriguing questions facing all the teams in the league and how this weekend's events will change the course for franchises, whether they hit or miss. Today's podcast mocks the first round of the NFL Draft, which is Thursday evening at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN/ABC/NFL Network.
LeBron James said on Twitter on Thursday that the NBA is better off when the New York Knicks are winning and relevant. Well, the Knicks are on an eight-game winning streak and in sole possession of 4th place in the Eastern Conference following a 137-127 overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. John breaks down how the Knicks got to this point and one lethal obstacle remaining in the regular season. Also, with seven days before Draft Day, we hear breakdown of what the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles are and should be thinking about how to approach the draft, and if the Bills should draft a running back in the first round. Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres clash in their second series of the year at Dodger Stadium this weekend, and if it is anything like last weekend's games in San Diego, we'll be in for a treat this year. Plus, John talks about one team in baseball that's hot, and one that's not.
This week's podcast features a recap of Hideki Matsuyama winning the Masters, John's hot take regarding what the Dallas Cowboys should do in the NFL draft, why New York hockey fans should be excited for the next several years, whether or not the Lakers can win a championship with a lower seed, how replay has wrecked baseball in the last week, and evaluate Julian Edelman's Hall of Fame candidacy in the wake of his retirement announcement.
This week's podcast is a rant-filled special. So sit back, listen, and have some fun listening to John go ballistic on the wild NCAA men's Final Four, the fallout of the Jets trading quarterback Sam Darnold to the Panthers, and talks about why the Philadelphia Flyers' future isn't as bright as it seems. Plus, he gets into some news with the NFL Draft, some of the new names baseball fans were introduced to last week, and his prediction for the Masters tournament this weekend.
TIMESTAMPS:
Gonzaga/UCLA epic / Baylor beats Gonzaga to win first ever NCAA men's title (O0:39)
Jets trade Sam Darnold to the Panthers (8:58)
John's rant on the Flyers (19:37)
Miami Dolphins active in NFL Draft trades (27:07)
New names in baseball (34:37)
Masters picks (40:10)
In today's special edition of Hooked on Sports, John is giving his complete predictions for the 2021 Major League Baseball season. He'll offer what he believes are the four biggest stories of the season, and give his win-loss records for all 30 clubs, who will capture the major awards of the season (MVP, Cy Young, Rookies of the Year, Managers of the Year) and which team he thinks will win the 2021 World Series.
The NBA Trade deadline has come and gone, and this year's deadline was a wild one with several significant trades, which encapsulated the Orlando Magic's deep commitment to rebuilding, and the Denver Nuggets adding to boost their strength ahead of the playoffs. We also witnessed the wildest first weekend of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament ever, with a ton of upsets and busted brackets everywhere. In today's podcast, John looks at the Sweet Sixteen field and evaluates each team's chances of advancing to the Elite Eight, and tells you what team reminded him of the Chicago Bears over the weekend. We also round out the first wave of free agency with the Giants boosting their offense with adding star WR Kenny Golladay, whlie the Bears declared Andy Dalton as their QB1 for this season.
TIMESTAMPS:
NBA Trade Deadline Roundup (1:37)
NCAA Tournament down to sixteen teams (20:51)
NFL Free Agency (34:57)
Eloy Jimenez injury (46:47)
Sixty-eight teams are set to play in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament starting on Thursday, March 18, and this episode is dedicated to looking ahead, with John picking the winners and losers, the potential upsets, the Cinderella teams, the Final Four teams, and most importantly, which team will cut down the nets in Indianapolis on April 5.
The annual NFL year is set to begin tomorrow, but the frenzy of free agency opened up as many of the top free agents available this year have already either been tagged or have agreements in place before they can become official. Which teams were some of the biggest winners so far in free agency? Which teams were left out from addressing their biggest needs? Plus, with the NCAA Tournament beginning later this week, a wild weekend in the conference tournaments left bubbles bursting and teams wondering how they didn't make the field of 68 this year, and is there one matchup that's harder than the others to pick in the Round of 64?
Timestamps:
NFL Free Agency Saga (02:30)
NCAA College Basketball Conference Tournaments & Bracket Set (21:08)
Dak Prescott signed his much-anticipated long-term contract with the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday, but will that even matter for the Cowboys, whose fans annually dial up expectations over reality? Will the Chicago Bears franchise tagging star wideout Allen Robinson translate into a Russell Wilson trade? Why did the Giants just set themselves up to fail in 2021? All of that and more on this week's podcast!!
The Arizona Cardinals shocked the NFL world by signing former Houston Texans star J.J. Watt and recent news surrounding Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. John tells us this week whether or not Watt makes the Cardinals Super Bowl Contenders and power ranking the potential landing spots for Russell Wilson.
This week's episode revolves around a few major stories in sports, from San Diego Padres star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. receiving a 14 year, $340 million contract extension, the Philadelphia Eagles trading quarterback Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts, and rumors that the Jets will consider all options for their quarterback situation going forward. There are also 18 days left until Selection Sunday in college basketball. Which conferences are impressing? John has big takes on everything this week so stay tuned!!
On this week's podcast, John believes there are two obvious teams that J.J. Watt should sign with if he wants to win a Super Bowl next season. This comes after his release from the Houston Texans last week after playing the last decade there. Plus, with Anthony Davis re-aggravating a lower leg injury on Sunday, is there reason to worry for the Los Angeles Lakers going forward, even when he returns from injury? And pitchers and catchers formally reported today in Arizona and Florida across Major League Baseball, so John gives his takes on the Top 10 teams in the league with Opening Day 43 days away.
Tom Brady earned his seventh Super Bowl ring on Sunday night as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV. John tells you why this one was the hardest and the sweetest of Brady's seven championships and why the AFC power realignment is complete. Also, Major League Baseball has their health and safety, as well as gameplay protocols set for this season, and two major free agent signings took place in the last week, but John explains why the Dodgers were the only team that could have possibly met Trevor Bauer's demands and signed him. Also, the NBA season gets deeper and the elite teams are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the league. So can the Utah Jazz replicate their recent success in the playoffs (16-1 record in their last 17 games dating back to early January)? Can the Brooklyn Nets figure out their defensive woes?
Super Bowl LV was merely an afterthought six months ago, but here we are. Who will Flynn pick in one of the most highly anticipated Super Bowl matchups ever!
Follow Hooked on Sports on Twitter & on Instagram @hooked_onsports
Follow Flynn on Twitter @JohnFlynn97 and on Instagram @jayflizzie
This week's sports news was higlighted by two blockbuster trades, one in football, and in baseball. The Lions sent QB Matthew Stafford to the L.A. Rams in exchange for QB Jared Goff, a 2021 third round pick, and first round picks in 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies dealt All-Star 3B Nolan Arenado (and $50 million to pay off his contract) to the St. Louis Cardinals for prospects. Who won those trades? Plus, is there any reason for Lakers' fans to panic about their games last week? Who should get the most credit for the Philadelphia 76ers' tremendous start? And have the Capitals played like best team in the NHL through January?
Since it is Pro Bowl Weekend (and that it is virtual this year anyway with the pandmic), John will instead use this week's NFL special to go over how this season went for each team and to project what they'll need to accomplish this offseason to compete for the playoffs in 2021.
Super Bowl LV is now set: It'll be the Kansas City Chiefs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing for the Lombardi Trophy on February 7th in Tampa, FL. John goes over what went right for both teams on Championship Sunday to get to the big game. Plus, John details why Matt LeFleur's decision making in key situations in the NFC Championship Game was the downfall of the Packers' chances of ending a decade-long drought.
Plus, John goes over the numbers behind the Nets' slow start with the newly formed trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden, & Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn and why the team will likely need to score 125 points a game to win. Plus, is Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets the leader in the NBA MVP race? And finally, will anyone be announced as a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame when the vote is announced?
TIMESTAMPS:
NFC Championship Game: (0:50)
AFC Championship Game: (7:21)
Nets' early returns for big three: (11:21)
NBA MVP talk: (18:53)
Baseball Hall of Fame: (22:12)
Pirates sell: (25:55)
Twitter: @JohnFlynn97; @hooked_onsports
Instagram: @jayflizzie; @hooked_onsports
In this week's NFL-oriented podcast episode, John looks at the legacies of Phillip Rivers and Drew Brees as well as the impending trade market with disgruntled Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson and where he might go. Also, he runs through all the up-to-date NFL head coaching hires, including a curious hire by the Philadelphia Eagles and a slam dunk hire by the New York Jets.
Finally, we are down to just four teams vying for a Super Bowl, as we look forward to two highly-anticipated conference championship matchups. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visiting Lambeau Field to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game, while Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes go head-to-head again as the Chiefs host the Bills at Arrowhead Stadium. Who will John pick to go to the Super Bowl? Find out in this podcast!
This week, John goes over some of the big stories in sports, including James Harden being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster trade that shook the NBA, newly hired Mets general manager Jared Porter axed after an off-the field incident in which he sent explicit text messages to a female reporter, and a recap of the four NFL Divisional Playoff games that took place over the weekend.
It's Divisional Weekend in the NFL Playoffs, and John is so excited about the matchups in the NFL this weekend, and John will look forward to the matchups, and he will predict all of them this weekend, but before he does that, there were a few NFL storylines from the past couple of days to catch up on, including the decision that the Chicago Bears will retain head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace for the 2021 season. John details what course of action the Bears should take following this news.
Rundown & TIMESTAMPS:
Bears retain Matt Nagy & Ryan Pace (01:17)
Rumors of Urban Meyer coaching the Jaguars are intensifying (07:48)
Seahawks fire offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer (11:23)
Broncos hire George Paton to be next general manager and agree to six-year contract (14:32)
Top five players remaining in playoffs that aren't quarterbacks (17:11)
NFL Divisional Weekend Picks & Predictions Against the Spread (24:12)
John today is all over all six games from the NFL playoffs this past weekend, including the Steelers' loss to the Browns and why the Ravens' victory over the Titans was planned back in March. John also discusses the late breaking news about the Philadelphia Eagles parting ways with head coach Doug Pederson and how dissatisfied DeShaun Watson is with the Houston Texans organization, and the Mets trading for Francisco Lindor in a blockbuster trade.
In this week's NFL special podcast, John runs down all the NFL rumors regarding general manager and head coaching vacancies across the league, including why the Cincinnati Bengals had no choice but to keep head coach Zac Taylor, and who he thinks could best fit into these roles, and previews the six games of Super Wild Card Weekend across the NFL.
The NFL completed a regular season that nobody thought would be completed amidst a global pandemic, and the playoff bracket is set headed into Wild Card Weekend. The Cleveland Browns snapped the longest playoff drought in the NFL, the Dolphins got blown out by the Bills and they missed the playoffs despite winning 10 games, and the Tennessee Titans won their first AFC South crown in 12 years on a doink field goal. Whereas in the NFC, the Packers won the top seed in the NFC, while the Rams and Bears rounded out the NFC Wild Card race and Washington captured it's first NFC East crown in 5 years with their win over Philadelphia. But did Philadelphia purposely let Washington win the division? And should Giants fans blame the Eagles for why their team missed the playoffs?
Also, the Nets' struggles without Spencer Dinwiddie have been real and alarming, so who should be blamed for the Nets' failures if they don't win a championship? John lays down all of those questions on today's podcast.
The 2020 NFL regular season comes down to this: Week 17, 11 teams still competing for the final seven remaining playoff spots between both conferences. There are so many games with playoff implications, and John will pick every game against the spread as he's done the entire season.
Recap of all the playoff clinching scenarios for Week 17:
NFC East: Washington wins NFC East if they beat the Eagles. If they lose, the winner of the Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants game will win the division.
NFC Wild Card: Winner of Rams-Cardinals clinches a playoff spot. Rams will be in playoffs with a win or a Bears loss. The Bears are in with a win.
NFC No. 1 Seed: Packers clinch top seed with a win or Seahawks loss. Seahawks win the top seed with a win + losses by the Packers and Saints. Saints clinch top seed with a win + Packers loss + Seahawks win.
AFC South: If the Colts win and the Titans lose, the Colts win the division. Any other scenario means the Titans win the division.
AFC Wild Card: Titans, Dolphins, Ravens, and Browns all clinch with just a win. The Colts need a win and one of those teams to lose to make the playoffs.
At the end, John breaks down the College Football Playoff Semifinals, with the Rose Bowl between Alabama and Notre Dame and the Sugar Bowl between Clemson and Ohio State.
Follow Hooked on Sports on Twitter and Instagram @hooked_onsports
Follow John Flynn on Twitter @JohnFlynn97 and Instagram @jayflizzie
Happy New Year 2021 to All!
Topics for this podcast (with timestamps):
Nets look like real deal with Kevin Durant (1:57)
Golden State Warriors look like a bottom 5 team in the NBA after blowout national TV losses to start the season and barely got past the Bulls (6:03)
Jacksonville Jaguars cement top pick in 2021 NFL Draft (and with it the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes) and if their general manager and head coaching vacancies become much more attractive (10:34)
The Las Vegas Raiders eliminated from postseason contention with their loss to the Miami Dolphins, and why the season was a failure (16:23)
The Washington Football Team cut former first-round QB Dwayne Haskins, and why that headline would have been different a year ago (22:35)
The Nationals acquire Pirates first baseman Josh Bell in exchange for two top-six prospects, and why the Pirates had to get trade Josh Bell (27:44)
The San Diego Padres acquire 2018 American League Cy Young Winner Blake Snell in an overnight blockbuster trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for four prospects, how that shakes up the National League West and the American League outlooks for the 2021 season (30:50)
Follow Hooked on Sports on Twitter & Instagram: @hooked_onsports
John's profiles on Social Media: Twitter: @johnflynn97, Instagram @jayflizzie
After losing 27-17 to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night, Steelers fans have to wonder if their team's offense will be any good come the playoffs. John explains why they should. With many of you in fantasy football championship bouts over the weekend, John gives some matchups that can carry you to your championship. Then, John gives his picks and predictions for Week 16 in the NFL, with games going a long way as to making the playoff picture clearer.
Vikings @ Saints (Saints favored by 7 points)
Bucs @ Lions (Bucs favored by 9 1/2)
49ers @ Cardinals (Cardinals favored by 5)
Dolphins @ Raiders (Dolphins favored by 3)
Falcons @ Chiefs (Chiefs favored by 10 1/2)
Bears @ Jaguars (Bears favored by 7 1/2)
Bengals @ Texans (Texans favored by 8)
Browns @ Jets (Browns favored by 9 1/2)
Colts @ Steelers (Colts favored by 1 1/2)
Giants @ Ravens (Ravens favored by 10)
Panthers @ Washington (Washington favored by 2 1/2)
Broncos @ Chargers (Chargers favored by 3)
Rams @ Seahawks (Seahawks favored by 1 1/2)
Eagles @ Cowboys (Eagles favored by 2)
Titans @ Packers (Packers favored by 3 1/2)
Bills @ Patriots (Bills favored by 7)
There are a lot of headlines this week in sports. But now that the College Football Playoff bracket has been officially revealed, John tells how he thinks the matchups between Notre Dame and Alabama, along with Clemson and Ohio State will go. John tells how the Bills got to winning the AFC East as well as the culture and prerequisites needed to turn Buffalo's record of failure around. The Giants have major issues, and John believes that these issues warrant the dismissal of general manager Dave Gettleman, but that's not the biggest problem with the Giants. He also talks about the Raiders losing at home to the Chargers and the genius of Justin Herbert, the NHL season officially on and how exciting hockey will be all season, and reveals his official predictions for the 2020-2021 NBA Season.
Week 15 NFL Guide:
Straight Up: Last Week: 9-7, Overall: 141-66-1
Against the Spread: Last Week: 8-8: Overall: 106-99-3
Games
T: Chargers @ Raiders (LV -3.5)
S: Bills @ Broncos (DEN + 6.5)
S: Panthers @ Packers (GB -8.5)
1: Bears @ Vikings (MIN -3.0)
1: Lions @ Titans (TEN -10.5)
1: Texans @ Colts (IND -7.0)
1: Jaguars @ Ravens (BAL -13.5)
1: Patriots @ Dolphins (MIA -2.5)
1: Seattle @ Washington (WSH +5.5)
1: 49ers @ Cowboys (DAL +3.0)
1: Buccaneers @ Falcons (ATL +6.0)
4: Jets @ Rams (LAR -17.0)
4: Eagles @ Cardinals (ARI -6.0)
4: Chiefs @ Saints (NO +3.0)
8: Browns @ Giants (NYG +4.5)
M: Steelers @ Bengals (CIN +12.5)
A huge week in sports yet again... Jalen Hurts took over as starting QB for the Philadelphia Eagles, and guided them to beat the New Orlenas Saints! Also, John warned his listeners the last couple of weeks that the Buffalo Bills would defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, and surely enough, they did. John dives into the Steelers' deficiencies and how the Bills exposed them last night. He also dives into Kevin Durant's return to basketball and make his Nets preseason debut, and the latest MLB free agency rumors with the Mets and Yankees.
We are down to the last four weeks of the NFL season, and there will be so many games with playoff implications across the NFL this weekend, and John will pick all of them against the spread.
But before that, John talks some of the highlights of Week 13 in the NFL, and focuses on the New York Giants' shocking win over the Seattle Seahawks on the road, dives into the issues with the Pittsburgh Steelers after they lost to the Washington Football Team, and the Chicago Bears blowing a 10-point, 4th quarter lead to the Detroit Lions.
Straight Up: Last Week: 12-3, Overall: 132-59-1
Against the Spread: Last Week: 11-4: Overall: 98-91-3
Patriots @ Rams (LAR -5.0)
Cardinals @ Giants (ARI -2.0)
Cowboys @ Bengals (DAL -3.5)
Broncos @ Panthers (CAR -3.5)
Texans @ Bears (HOU -1.5)
Chiefs @ Dolphins (KC -7.0)
Vikings @ Bucs (TB -6.5)
Titans @ Jaguars (TEN -7.5)
Colts @ Raiders (IND -3.0)
Jets @ Seahawks (SEA -13.5)
Falcons @ Chargers (ATL -2.5)
Packers @ Lions (GB -7.5)
Saints @ Eagles (NO -7.0)
WFT @ 49ers (in Arizona) (SF -3.0)
Steelers @ Bills (BUF -2.5)
Ravens @ Browns (BAL -1.0)
There was a huge buffet of sports topics to get into this week.
AP Top 25 Poll in CFB, Notre Dame vs. Clemson, Alabama vs. Florida: (01:33-11:15)
Mormons vs. Mullets: (11:15-16:16)
Mets sign relief pitcher Trevor May to 2-year, $15.5 million contract: (17:23-21:00)
Texas Rangers hire former pitcher Chris Young to be next general manager: (21:01-23:43)
Phillies' willingness to trade Zack Wheeler and post-Klentak Phillies: (23:49-29:14)
Rockets trade Westbrook to the Wizards for Wall & 1st Round Pick: (29:14-35:43)
Can the Los Angeles Lakers repeat?: (35:43-37:53)
NBA Christmas Day Schedule: (37:53-42:02)
With five weeks remaining in the NFL season, some big storylines are on the horizon. Will the Steelers be the first team since the 2007 Patriots to complete a 16-0 regular season? With Washington tied for first place in the NFC East at 4-7, are they better than their win-loss record indicates. John will also tell you why he believes the Tennessee Titans are going to win the AFC South after their 45-26 blowout victory over the rival Indianapolis Colts last Sunday.
Then, John provides his Week 13 NFL Picks Against the Spread, with a guideline below.
Week 13 NFL Picks Straight Up & Against the Spread Guide:
Straight Up: Last Week: 12-4, Overall: 120-56-1
Against the Spread: Last Week: 9-6-1: Overall: 87-87-3
Bengals @ Dolphins (MIA -10.5)
Browns @ Titans (TEN -5.5)
Lions @ Bears (CHI -3.0)
Colts @ Texans (IND -3.5)
Jaguars @ Vikings (MIN -10.0)
Raiders @ Jets (LV -8.5)
Saints @ Falcons (NO -3.0)
Rams @ Cardinals (LAR -3.0)
Giants @ Seahawks (SEA -11.0)
Patriots @ Chargers (LAC -1.5)
Eagles @ Packers (GB -8.5)
Broncos @ Chiefs (KC -13.5)
Washington @ Steelers (PIT -8.0)
Bills @ 49ers (in Arizona) (SF -1.0)
Cowboys @ Ravens (BAL -7.5)
It was no secret the Lions had their head coach and general manager on the hot seat this season, and the Lions relieved both Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn of their respective duties. The Jaguars did the same with general manager Dave Caldwell following their 27-25 loss to the Browns on Sunday, while the Cowboys proved they are on a path to nowhere following their 41-16 loss to the Washington Football Team on Thanksgiving Day.
Week 11 of the NFL was full of big storylines, with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow suffering a season-ending ACL tear in Sunday's loss to Washington, while Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 27-24 to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night. John answers whether or not the Bengals will be successful with Joe Burrow in light of his injury, and if the Buccaneers can right their ship before it becomes too late. Then, he discusses the state of the NFC East as it is wide open, with just 1/2 game separating the entire division.
Plus, a special Thanksgiving slate of NFL action is on tap, with the Lions hosting the Texans, while the Cowboys host the Washington Football Team on Thursday.
The Kansas City Chiefs came from behind to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football 35-31, but John says the Raiders made a gigantic statement in front of a national audience with their performance in the loss. The New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons 24-9 thank to an efficient day from quarterback Taysom Hill, who got the start for New Orleans on Sunday after Drew Brees suffered multiple injuries, and John argues that had to do with the culture Sean Payton established and maintained.
John also dives in to the winners and losers of the NBA Trade Deadline, including the Lakers' adding some key players to their roster just two months removed from an NBA title, while the Hornets drafted LaMelo Ball with the No. 3 overall pick in last week's NBA Draft, and they added Gordon Hayward to a 4-year, $120 million contract. John evaluates why the Lakers and Hornets are going in completely opposite directions.
Another NFL week is on tap, and with it some new storylines to focus on. John talks about whether or not the Drew Brees' injury will be the downfall of the Saints' chances to be successful this season, how the Chicago Bears can right their ship offensively after losing to the Vikings on Monday evening, and how the Colts' statement victory over the Titans changes the picture in the AFC South.
Joining John this week on Hooked on Sports is WSJU Sports Radio and World Wide Sports Radio Network contributor George Whitbread, where we sit down and discuss the ownership change with the Mets, the improvements Daniel Jones had made the last two weeks and how that'll help the Giants in the NFC East race, the state of St. John's men's basketball with Mike Anderson entering his second season as head coach, and the future of the New York Rangers following a lengthy rebuild.
John also talks about Dustin Johnson earning his much-awaited Masters victory and how his time of waiting and endurance finally paid off, the play now dubbed the "Hail Murray" at the end of the Arizona Cardinals' stunning 32-30 victory over the Buffalo Bills and that play may have a lot of playoff implications, and where the Philadelphia Eagles go following their 27-17 loss to the Giants on Sunday. Plus, John reacts to NBA trade rumors that have James Harden potentially joining Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving with the Brooklyn Nets, and the breaking trade news of Chris Paul going to the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster trade that sent a package of young players back to the Oklahoma City Thunder and more.
TIME STAMPS:
Dustin Johnson wins his first Masters (2:29)
James Harden/Brooklyn Nets rumors (4:23)
Cardinals defeat Bills on "Hail Murray" (6:51)
The Philadelphia Eagles have issues (11:13)
George Whitbread Interview (18:17)
Reaction to interview (59:00)
Why Giants winning NFC East would be a big boost for the future (1:00:04)
BREAKING: Oklahoma City Thunder trade Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns (1:04:03)
The NFL regular season is half way through the books, and now the playoff pictures are beginning to commence across the league, with each conference posing intriguing, but crowded races. In particular, there are six teams that are in the mix for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which is key because only the top seed gets a first round bye this year. Meanwhile, there are six teams in the AFC that are competing for four playoff spots, but many of them have soft schedules the rest of the way, so who will be left out of the AFC playoffs when the season is over?
Then, John gives his Week 10 NFL Picks, beginning with a battle for first place in the AFC South between the Tennessee Titans, favored by 2 points, and the visiting Indianapolis Colts. Other key matchups include Kyler Murray and the Cardinals (favored by 1.5 points) hosting Josh Allen and the Bills, while Sean McVay's Rams come off their bye week as 1.5 point home favorites against Russell Wilson and the Seahawks in a pivotal NFC West game.
Colts @ Titans (-2)
Texans @ Browns (-3)
Jaguars @ Packers (-13.5)
Eagles (-3.5) @ Giants
Bucs (-5.5) @ Panthers
Washington @ Lions (-4)
Bills @ Cardinals (-1.5)
Broncos @ Raiders (-5)
Chargers @ Dolphins (-2.5)
Bengals @ Steelers (-7.5)
Seahawks @ Rams (-1.5)
49ers @ Saints (-9)
Ravens (-7) @ Patriots
Vikings (-2.5) @ Bears
A turbulent week in America wasn't enough to not highlight the past week in sports, beginning with Notre Dame's comeback and upset over top-ranked Clemson 47-40, but will it be all good at the end of the season for Brian Kelly and the Irish? The Pittsburgh Steelers took down the Dallas Cowboys 24-19 on Sunday, but the impact of Minkah Fitzpatrick is why the Steelers remain the only unbeaten team in the NFL, according to John. Tom Brady played one of the worst games of his career on Sunday evening as his Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 38-3 to the division rival New Orleans Saints to drop out of first place in the NFC South, so was all the preseason hype just hype? John argues Joe Judge's handling of Logan Ryan's family medical emergency paid dividends when Ryan's late interception of Alex Smith sealed a victory in which the Giants defense forced five turnovers in a 23-20 win over the Washington Football Team. John then gets into the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winners in baseball and how he thinks this week will go in awards announcements.
After a mixed bag Week 8, John tries to improve his record in games picked both straight up and against the spread. Week 9 presents some interesting lines; the Titans are favored by six points against the Chicago Bears, while the Patriots are favored by seven in their Monday Night matchup at MetLife Stadium against the Jets.
With the L.A. Dodgers securing a 2020 World Series victory, John gives his evaluation of where Major League Baseball stands after completing the most unusual season in baseball history, a feat that seemed unlikely four months ago amidst COVID-19. He looks at where the balance of power in the sport stands now, and can anyone challenge the Dodgers next season? If so, John would identify teams that can challenge the Dodgers. How will free agency pan out, and will teams be willing to take on huge money to sign top available players, and which markets will be drawn back or benefit the most? And how can Steve Cohen's purchase of the New York Mets change the landscape of the league for years to come?
Week 8 of the NFL season has the opportunity to flip a lot of playoff races across the NFL. Some key divisional battles are on the slate this week, with the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers facing the Baltimore Ravens (favored by 3 1/2 points). The 49ers desperately need to beat the Seahawks (Seattle favored by 3) in Seattle to stay in the NFC West race, while the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles face off (Philadelphia is a 3 1/2 point favorite).
Through five games, the 2020 World Series has proven to be one of the most dramatic and intense World Series ever. The roller coaster events of Games 4 & 5 leave the Los Angeles Dodgers one win away from their first championship since 1988. But both the Dodgers & the Tampa Bay Rays have let Games 4 & 5 slip away from them, respectively, thanks to questionable managerial decisions by Dave Roberts and Kevin Cash. John explains in this week's podcast that whoever loses this World Series will be thinking about their decisions (Roberts in Game 4, Cash in Game 5) a lot during the offseason. Plus, with the Dodgers a win away, who has earned the most merit towards the World Series MVP award? Clayton Kershaw (2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 11 2/3 innings pitched)? Corey Seager (8 hits, .471 batting average, 2 home runs)? Someone else?
The Pittsburgh Steelers made a significant statement in their 38-7 blowout victory against the Cleveland Browns, and Mike Tomlin deserves so much praise and credit for keeping the Steelers undefeated. But will their success carry over in a clash of unbeatens with the Tennessee Titans this week, who denied DeShaun Watson & the Texans a statement victory with shrewd coaching and a terrific offensive performance? John explains why the head coaching position mattered in the Titans' thrilling 42-36 overtime victory over Houston on Sunday. Plus, in a crowded NFC East basement, John explains bluntly why the Dallas Cowboys' championship window has closed.
Then, John picks the games against the spread, featuring the Steelers-Titans clash (Titans favored by one point). Will the L.A. Chargers, coming off their bye week, cover an eight point spread at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars? And can the Bills rebound from losses the last two weeks to Tennessee & Kansas City to cover a 13 point spread at MetLife Stadium against the winless Jets?
The 2020 World Series, which seemed improbale several months ago, will begin on Tuesday night between the Los Angeles Dodgers, who clinched their third National League crown in four years, and the Tampa Bay Rays, who nearly avoided blowing a 3-0 series lead to get past the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS. Who will win this year's World Series?
Plus, with the Jets now the NFL's lone winless team, will Trevor Lawrence (acclaimed as the best QB prospect since Peyton Manning over 20 years ago) try to avoid the Jets' struggles and go back to school for one more year? Or, if he decides to forego his senior season and head straight to the NFL, should the Jets draft him if they have the top pick in the draft?
After a brief pause in the NFL schedule following COVID-related postponments, the NFL will commence Week 6 action on Sunday. There are some fantastic games on the schedule. Can the Cleveland Browns improve to 5-1 by taking down the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field? Can Tom Brady avenge his disastrous Week 5 loss to the Bears and lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory over the unbeaten Green Bay Packers? Can Josh Allen outduel Patrick Mahomes in Buffalo and send the defending Super Bowl champions to a rare 2-game losing streak? Join John as he breaks down these games along with the rest of the schedule this weekend.
In another big week in sports, the most popular teams in sports had different types of weeks: The Los Angeles Lakers claimed their 17th NBA title in franchise history on Sunday night, defeating the Miami Heat 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals, and it only adds to the argument of LeBron as the greatest basketball player ever, while the New York Yankees' World Series-or-bust season came crashing to an end as they lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 3 games to 2. John looks at what went right for the Lakers and Rays and where the Yankees went wrong last week, and why the Yankees' championship window may be closing sooner than the team thinks.
Plus, with "The Bachelorette" season starting tomorrow night, John looks at coaches and general managers who are, as people on the show would say "here for the right reasons." John evaluates that phrases with five such coaches, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians following the team's loss to Nick Foles and the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, and Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi following a season where the Phillies blew 20 games in a 60 game season and missed the playoffs.
Another week of NFL action is in the books, and the NFL will be tested more now than ever with COVID-19 playing a daily role in the NFL. This week, Flynn gets into the biggest storylines from last week in the NFL and some NFL MVP conversation through the first month of the season, and he picks the games against the spread for Week 5 in the NFL.
TIMESTAMPS
Texans fire Bill O'Brien (1:56)
Packers in Super Bowl conversation (11:04)
NFL MVP Conversation (16:12)
Latest COVID-19 developments in NFL (19:24:)
Week 5 NFL Picks (21:29)
Straight Up: Last Week: 11-4, Overall: 46-16-1
Against the Spread: Last Week: 8-6-1, Overall: 35-27-1
The New York Jets at 0-4 are on a path to nowhere unless drastic changes are made everywhere. In this podcast, the main topic is John outlining a five-step plan to turn the Jets into perennial playoff contenders by 2023. It's simpler than the Jets think! Plus, the four NL Central teams that made the playoffs were all eliminated in the Wild Card round last week. John explains why their fate was sealed long before last week.
TIMESTAMPS:
MLB Playoffs & Divisional Series Picks (00:53)
NBA Finals after Game 3 (19:45)
Philadelphia 76ers hire Doc Rivers as head coach (22:09)
John's five-step plan to fix the New York Jets (24:08)
Three weeks into the season, and so much to discuss this week in the NFL. John reacts to the Chiefs taking down the Ravens on Monday night, the Saints' offense without Michael Thomas, and the state of the New York Giants under GM Dave Gettleman.
Then, John picks the games in Week 4 of the NFL.
Week 3 Results: Straight Up: 10-5-1, Against the Spread: 8-8
Overall Results: Straight Up: 35-12-1, Against the Spread: 27-21
Months of obstacles & adversity for sports led up to these moments: Championship series across the major sports. Will the Lakers deliver a championship to Los Angeles, and what is LeBron's legacy going to look like, especially his case over Michael Jordan? Will the Tampa Bay Lightning cement hockey's ultimate redemption story? Which teams will stick out going into the MLB playoff bubble?
TIMESTAMPS:
Resiliency by sport in the COVID era (1:11)
NBA Finals Pick (3:41)
Stanley Cup Final (12:47)
MLB Postseason (15:15)
With the click of the play button, you''ll hear John's Week 3 NFL Picks Straight Up & Against the Spread. He went 15-1 straight up and 11-5 against the spread last week. Huge games on tap this week, featuring what many consider to be the best matchup of the year, with the Ravens taking on the Chiefs on Monday night, the unbeaten Rams and unbeaten Bills facing off in Buffalo, the Packers taking on the Saints in New Orleans on Sunday night and more.
Another jam packed week of sports is behind us, but not without some important conversations regarding the Clippers, Lakers, and more!
TIMESTAMPS:
L.A. Clippers lose 2nd Rd. series to Nuggets (1:04)
Anthony Davis, Lakers take charge (4:00)
NFL Week 2 Recap (8:36)
Islanders' future (25:10)
MLB Playoff Races (27:00)
The NFL returns for another season amidst a global pandemic & social unrest. Which teams stood out, and which ones preferred not be talked about today? The Rockets and Mike D'Antoni are no longer with each other anymore after the Rockets were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers last week, and the Nuggets have rallied from 3 games to 1 down to force a Game 7.
Timestamps:
NFL Week 1 Standouts (1:10-20:28)
Mike D'Antoni no longer with Rockets (20:46-23:41)
Nuggets force Game 7 with Clippers (23:41-26:14)
Lightning dominate vs. Islanders (26:15-28:21)
Call you friends & neighbors, grab your drinks & popcorn, because NFL football is BACK!
TIMESTAMPS
AFC Predictions (3:22-22:07)
NFC Predictions (22:07-40:23)
Awards & Super Bowl Pick (40:23-44:48)
Jalen Ramsey receives extension from Los Angeles Rams (45:43-46:38)
Week 1 NFL Picks Against the Spread (46:38-1:04:38)
This week, Flynn looks at why the Philadelphia Flyers lost their second round series to the New York Islanders, the impact of recent extensions of NFL stars such as QB DeShaun Watson of the Houston Texans and CB Tre'Davious White of the Buffalo Bills, how James Harden's whole outlook & legacy changed with a singular block, and Jacob deGrom's place among Mets' greats in the wake of Tom Seaver's passing.
TIMESTAMPS:
Islanders moving to Eastern Conference Finals after beating Flyers (1:23)
NHL Conference Finals Picks (6:19)
NFL Contract Extensions (10:41)
NBA Playoffs (15:16)
Jacob deGrom's greatness (23:17)
This week's episode discusses if some of baseball's unwritten rules are actual rules or a big fuss about nothing following Fernando Tatis Jr.'s controversial grand slam earlier in the week. Was it right for Tatis to swing on a 3-0 pitch with his team leading by 7 runs in the 8th inning? Elsewhere, the Dallas Cowboys ensured their path to an NFC East crown this week with signing Everson Griffen, but will the Cowboys finally get over the hump this year? Is Joe Judge's coaching style going to work for the New York Giants? I also discuss why it is important for LeBron James to have Anthony Davis show up and ball out in the playoffs.
TIMESTAMPS:
01:32 - Dallas Cowboys primed to win NFC East?
05:02 - Will Joe Judge's inaugural training camp pay dividends for the Giants?
07:47 - The NBA Playoffs
13:49 - Stanley Cup Playoffs - Round 2 Picks & Predictions (Lightning/Bruins, Flyers/Islanders, Golden Knights/Canucks, Avalanche/Stars)
22:04 - Baseball's unwritten rules
Join John as he reveals his NBA First Round Predictions. Can the Blazers upset the Lakers? Who will have the easiest path to the Finals?
With the return of sports come normal podcast episodes once again! There was a lot of sports conversation packed into this podcast:
Previous footage of John saying the Knicks should hire Tom Thibodeau (0:03)
NBA Return: Rudy Gobert comes back from COVID and beats Pelicans in return, LeBron James & Anthony Davis propel Lakers past Clippers (2:25)
Jets trade Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks & Is Seattle the best team in the NFC West with Adams (9:55)
Knicks hire Thibodeau & agree to 5-year contract (14:44)
Antonio Brown suspended 8 games and where he could sign (17:51)
Do the Baltimore Ravens have a better Super Bowl case than the Kansas City Chiefs? (21:12)
MLB Opening Week Recap: New Rules, Dodgers-Astros, Shane Bieber, Marlins (24:26)
NHL Stanley Cup Qualifying Round Predictions (37:05)
Baseball has returned!!! A podcast episode four months in the waiting is now online. John gives win-loss predictions for all 30 teams, which teams will make the playoffs, who will win Rookies of the Year, Cy Young's, MVP's, Managers of the Year, and most importantly, his World Series predictions.
Will the Dodgers finally deliver a championship for the first time in 32 years? Will the Yankees face any stiff competition in the AL? Which teams are best equipped for the 60-game sprint? Below are the timeframes of each segment of this podcast episode.
AMERICAN LEAGUE (2:07-19:43)
NATIONAL LEAGUE (20:07-42:00)
2020 AWARDS & WORLD SERIES PICKS (42:21-51:37)
Patrick Mahomes made sports history last week as he signed the richest contract ever, a 10-year, $450 million extension that makes him a Kansas City Chief for life. Others followed suit at the tag extension deadline. Flynn also looks at the NFL's most marketable players given that Mahomes will be a superstar for years to come.
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton is headed to the New England Patriots this season, but will he make an impact upon arrival, and how could he shape the NFL coaching carousel next winter? Plus, the NHL Draft Lottery reared its ugly head as the No. 1 overall pick will go to a team to be determined!!! What needs to change in the NHL, and what can the NBA learn from the debacle? And what are the big storylines surrounding Major League Baseball as it tries to play the 2020 season amidst a pandemic?
John reacts to the agreement across baseball regarding the 2020 MLB Season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, plus with just a few weeks before NFL training camps open, it would be a good time to look at all 32 NFL defenses and rank each division based on the strength of their defenses. Spoiler alert! One division will have three playoff teams, and a lot of that has to do with the sum of defenses! Another spoiler! Great talk about the power structure of the NFL!
The NBA formally issued it's plan to return to action in Orlando, and where does the NBA's advancements leave MLB on their search for their return to the big stage. Plus, John lists his top three choices for the New York Knicks' next head coach should they decide not to make Mike Miller the coach, and why they should hire them. Are the Minnesota Vikings primed for more long-term success than in the short-term, even with one of the highest-paid quarterback's in the league? Finally, how much of an improvement can the New York Giants make this season, given that general manager Dave Gettleman is on the hot seat and they have a new coaching staff with Joe Judge?
As sports are set to return following the COVID-19 pandemic, it doesn't come without controversy, particularly with Major League Baseball. Where do the owners and players stand? Can they salvage the season? Plus, the NHL strikes gold while the NBA follows suit, and people should expect college football this fall, especially in the big schools. Also discussed this episode are the Jets' smart offseason plan & approach under GM Joe Douglas, why the 49ers need to find a way to make George Kittle the league's highest-paid tight end, and why the Super Bowl champion Chiefs potentially extending Patrick Mahomes is easier said than done (and why the reigning Super Bowl MVP would still be underpaid).
It has been a full week since ESPN released the highly anticipated docuseries "The Last Dance" featuring Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls dynasty. It highlighted events throughout Michael Jordan's career and unprecedented looks at the 1997-98 Bulls team, the last time fans viewed the Bulls as they knew it at the time. In the midst of a pandemic of epic proportions, the documentary was a sporting event in and among itself, and it changed the way we view sports documentaries forever. This podcast delves into John's favorite highlights and takeways from the documentary.
John goes over the NFL schedule release, including the NFL primetime games he's looking forward to the most this season, and highlights some of the teams' schedules including the Steelers and the Falcons.
So much is at stake in the 2020 NFL Draft. When and where will the quarterbacks go? Will Tom Brady get protection? What strategies will the teams with multiple first round picks take? Which WR will go first? Who will make Draft Day trades? Follow along on this week's special podcast.
John is joined today by two-sport athlete Emily Harrington, who expresses her frustration with the Houston Astros' cheating scandal, the joy of watching the US women's national soccer team dominate the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, talks about her roots in soccer and in track & field, while keeping a close eye on the coronavirus pandemic through distance learning. John also discusses the Cowboys and Bears situations as they are stuck in the middle of roster situations, and the Panthers extending star running back Christian McCaffrey.
Sean Grassi joins John as they give their lists for the 10 greatest World Series winning teams ever. Spoiler Alert: The lists could not be more different.
The NFL Draft usually revolves around talent evaluation, but this year's draft revolves around team strategies. Also, John reacts to the news of the league expanding the playoffs for this season and the NFL keeping the draft as scheduled despite concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
John delves into the side effects of the Mets losing Noah Syndergaard for the season after the pitcher tore his UCL, requiring Tommy John surgery. He also talks about the decision by the International Olympic Committee to postpone the Tokyo Olympics to 2021 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. He then talks about the importance of sports trivia in the sportscasting business.
The amount of action taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented. Plus, NFL Free Agency dominate sports headlines this week. John talks about Tom Brady signing with the Buccaneers, the Texans trading DeAndre Hopkins in a shocking trade to the Cardinals, and Dak Prescott being franchised tagged by the Cowboys. Also listen in for his winners & losers of the offseason so far.
John tells you all that you need to know about the sports impact on the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). He'll also delve into whether the Yankees should panic about their injuries and if the Cowboys should extend Dak Prescott.
Tom Brady's free agency saga takes a turn, but will it matter in the end? The NFL combine moves to primetime, LeBron praises the young stars, Giannis is the frontrunner for MVP, and the Knicks can't handle prosperity. John's takes on all of these claims are on this episode.
In today's podcast, John reacts to all the headlines that have surrounded the Houston Astros cheating scandal the last two weeks, gives a radical proposal to the NBA All Star Game in the future, talks about how so many teams may look to change quarterbacks this offseason, and the injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino of the Yankees.
John will highlight teams that trended in the right and wrong directions across baseball this offseason with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training today. He will also discuss the big NBA trades that took place at the deadline, the Dodgers trading for Mookie Betts, his thoughts on the XFL after one week, Cam Newton's future with the Carolina Panthers, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys discussing their contract situation, and the fallout of the Astros cheating scandal.
The Kansas City Chiefs are champions of the football world, defeating the San Francisco 49er 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV. Aliyah Funschelle of Wichita State reacts to her Chiefs winning the Super Bowl, her experiences covering her beloved Wichita State basketball squad, and talks about what she preaches about women in sports. John also reacts to the blockbuster trade that sent former AL MVP Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Knicks dismissing team president Steve Mills, and the Falcons not interested in re-signing soon-to-be free agent defensive end Vic Beasley.
The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs are ready for Super Bowl LIV. Who will win? John says.....
John gives his remarks about the life of Kobe Bryant following his tragic death on Sunday. He'll also talk about the debut of Zion Williamson, the retirement of Eli Manning, the Mets' hiring of Luis Rojas, and the Reds signing Nick Castellanos to a 4-year, $64 million contract.
This week, John talks about the Chiefs and 49ers' dominant victories on Championship Sunday, Derek Jeter and Larry Walker being elected to the Hall of Fame, the Connor McGregor-Donald Cerrone bout from UFC 246. He also discusses the expectation's for Zion Williamson's NBA debut. He is over the Giants' hiring of Jason Garrett to be offensive coordinator, Tom Brady being "open-minded" about free agency, Nolan Arenado trade talks, and the manager openings across baseball.
John Flynn lays down the legacy and fallout of the Houston Astros' cheating scandal, while looking at NFL news and Divisional Weekend highlights, while looking ahead to the AFC and NFC Championship Games.
Listen to John talk about the Cowboys, Panthers, and Giants all hiring new head coaches, the NFL Wild Card weekend including the Eagles' losing Carson Wentz to a concussion, the Cubs' offseason plans, the Rays-Cardinals blockbuster six-player trade, as well as his predictions for the divisional weekend in the NFL.
John evaluates the attractiveness of NFL head coaching vacanies this year, talks about Tua's status for the NFL Draft, the Nats' improving their bullpen, and he'll pick the four Wild Card games against the spread this upcoming weekend.
In a jam packed podcast, John dives into the Cowboys' loss to the Eagles, the Vikings' grotesque performance on Monday Night Football, and the Rams missing the playoffs this season. He also dives into the Christmas slate of NBA Action with the 76ers and Clippers making statement victories, as well as the Mets' signing Dellin Betances and the White Sox' aggressive offseason.
James Wiseman decides to try his luck in the NBA, Joe Burrow wins the Heisman and Drew Brees sets the new career passing TD mark. Listen also to Flynn's takes on Lamar, the Madison Bumgarner signing, the Cleveland Indians trading Corey Kluber, and Mike Miller's early returns as Knicks interim coach before he unveils his NFL Picks against the spread for Week 16, including the huge showdown between the Cowboys and Eagles and the Monday Night NFC North clash between the Packers and Vikings.
John talks about the three big free agent signings in MLB with Strasburg, Cole, and Rendon. He also gets into the Giants' latest debacle, the Titans, Kawhi Leonard's return to Toronto, and Week 15 NFL Picks.
John talks about the Phillies signing Zack Wheeler, the Wilpons selling the Mets, the Panthers firing Ron Rivera, the Bills' prosperity and difficult road ahead, as well as giving Week 14 NFL Picks against the spread.
Thanksgiving comes food, family, and football. John picks all the NFL games in Week 13 against the spread, talks about Jason Garrett's coaching decisions, Lamar Jackson's MVP status, the Lakers and Clippers being great, and much more.
John gets into the Myles Garrett incident, the Colin Kaepernick situation, the Ravens, Islanders, Braves, Melo, and more in another action-packed week in sports.
John Flynn gets into all the coaching problems in New York with the Giants and Jets, the Astros' sign-stealing scandal, and why the Seattle Seahawks are a true Super Bowl contender. That, and much more as we look forward to Week 11 of the 2019 NFL seson.
John has Joe Kelly in to talk all bases regarding the 2019-20 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball season. Flynn later talks about the Nats' path to a championship, why the Astros' season was a failure, and the Browns just can't have their own way.
Dive into the stories in sports of the past week with John Flynn, such as the NCAA's new approach on paying student-athletes, Stephen Strasburg's tremendous game last night, Matt Nagy and Freddie Kitchens letting their teams down, and more.
Listen as John Flynn discusses the Nationals' Game 1 victory in the World Series, the Raptors and Clippers winning on NBA's Opening Night, who he thinks will make it to the NBA Finals this season, and the problems surrounding the Jets, the Giants, and the Eagles.