Sports With Friends

Adeline Gray, No. 1 in world Adeline Gray is a two-time World champion, and is currently ranked No. 1 in the world. She has been a top international star since high school. She has four World medals (2 gold, 2 bronze) and also placed fifth in her first Worlds. She was in a non-Olympic weight through 2013, when she moved up a class. Adeline dropped down to 63 kg in 2012 and was second in the Olympic Trials. She is a Denver native, daughter of a Denver police officer, from a close family. Her sister Geneva was also a wrestler. She came right to the Olympic Training Center after high school. Gray has won World titles on the Junior, University and Senior levels. She goes into the Olympic year as the most recognizable and successful U.S. womens wrestler, and is a great interview.

Recent stories say that the Milwaukee Bucks might be looking at potential relocation. 2 cities, Las Vegas and Seattle are likely destinations. Seattle has been reeling as a sports town since the departure of the beloved Seattle SuperSonics. They have proposals for a new arena. And the NHL is accepting applications for an expansion franchise (see Episode 4 of FROM THE PRESS BOX). Could Seattle be in the mix for that as well? Chris Daniels of KING 5 Television in Seattle, has been at the forefront of coverage of both of these stories. He joins Seth Everett for Episode 5.

Mets fans never have a shortage of things to say, and 2015 is no different. Today on "The Diamond," Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal chimes in from their latest road trip to discuss the positives and negatives of this Mets club.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2015, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the formal opening of the NHL Expansion Process. Seattle, Las Vegas, Quebec, and Toronto are considered high contenders. Maury Brown wrote this piece for Forbes on expansion, and the situation in Arizona with the Coyotes. Maury anbd I have done many shows together. Follow him on Twitter @bizballmaury

Since I started this podcast, I've laid off Alex Rodriguez. I've done so much on him, but with his recent suspension and subsequent return, I've kept my objectivity. Recently, a sportswriter/blogger named Lisa Swan wrote a fantastic op-ed piece for the Washington Post on Rodriguez's return, not only to baseball, but to prominence. I invited her to discuss this article, and ask the question. What's changed? I certainly have my opinions, but I also encourage you to hear Lisa out. Debate is the best form of sports talk, and podcasts are the future.

Sports fans fit into 2 categories. The ones that are in shape, and the ones that want to be. People play fantasy sports to compete against their friends. Any video game can now be played against people. Kevin Flaherty created "Fitness Against Friends," an app specifically design so friends can challenge other friends with exercise. Kevin discusses the conception of the app, and what friends do with it.

Recorded the day after San Francisco Giants Rookie Chris Heston pitched a no-hitter vs. the New York Mets, Buster Posey made an appearance at the TOPPS Baseball Card offices in downtown Manhattan. I spoke with Posey in an exclusive interview about his role as a "Face" of MLB, and a review of the Giants 2015 campaign.

Jeff Spaulding was the Senior Producer and Documentary Director at Major League Baseball Productions for 17 years. He has seen it all in the last 2 decades, and has stories to tell. His "tell-all" begins now on Episode 3 of "The Diamond." Major League Baseball Productions was the award-winning television and video production division of Major League Baseball. With unparalleled access to the game and its players, Major League Baseball Productions produced original programming for growing audiences worldwide through its network specials, exclusive DVDs, commercials and other specialty programming. Major League Baseball Productions was also the producer of the longest-running sports anthology series in American television broadcast history, "This Week in Baseball". MLB Productions also managed the Official Archives of Major League Baseball, which contains footage dating back 100 years and through 90 World Series, and the licensing of its content.

Seth is joined by Bill Rohland of 106.7FM The FAN in Washington DC. Bill talks Nationals but is also doing a column about the new sluggers in baseball and how they compare to great HR era's not aided by steroids. Rather than interview Seth for quotes, Bill can ask Seth and the podcast can be the interview!

On Wednesday May 27, 2015, the international soccer organization FIFA was accused of serious corruption allegations including rackateering, and fraud. http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/27/football/fifa-corruption-charges-justice-department/index.html?iid=EL NBC Newschannel's Chris Pollone covered the breaking news on Wednesday. Pollone is also a fellow Syracuse University alum, so any excuse to talk to an old friend is worth it. (That's what "From the Press Box" is all out) He's also a Tom Brady apologist, so his objectivity will only apply to soccer discussions. Any mention of the Patriots will change his reporting style almost immediately.

Comedian Jim Breuer is known for his stand-up comedy, being on Saturday Night Live, and of course, being a star in the 1998 movie Half Baked. But lately, he's become well known for his posts on social media about his favorite baseball team, the New York Mets. In the premiere edition of "The Diamond," Breuer is my special guest to talk Mets baseball and his new show on EPIX.

NY Giants QB Eli Manning is in his 9th year as host of the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Golf Classic. I have been honored to be the emcee for the event for nearly a decade as well. We caught up and talked about his connection to this fascinating charity. While we were talking, news broke over Twitter that Patriots QB Tom Brady, who is 0-2 against Manning in the Super Bowl, was being suspended for 4 games due to his involvement in "deflategate." Manning was professional in addressing his QB rival, but did offer unique insight on his experience this off-season trying out balls that had been deflated, and gives his opinion on the possible advantage. On the 1st "From the Press Box" episode, we will hear my exclusive chat with Eli, and then his media interview right after news broke. For more information on Guiding Eyes for the Blind, visit their website www.guidingeyes.org, @guidingeyes on Twitter.