Sports With Friends

Investigative Reporter TJ Quinn joins the show to discuss the current state of sports in the coronavirus pandemic. Quinn joined ESPN in November 2007 as an investigative reporter for ESPN's Enterprise Unit, which is charged with developing long-form, investigative features to be presented across multiple platforms. In addition to discussing sports' role in this unbelievable time in the world, but as the conversation transferred to his illustrious career, the subject of the 20-year long friendship between Seth and TJ came up. The thread was the late Darryl Hamilton. Quinn covered Hambone during his time as a Mets beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Seth and Bone began their friendship in 2003. Both Seth and TJ told amazing tales of their time with Darryl. The diversion is both fun and sentimental as the tangent became the best part of the episode.

Acclaimed baseball writer Jared Diamond makes his 2nd appearance on the show. This recording was at the end of March 2020, and was supposed to coincide with the opening of the 2020 Baseball season. The coronavirus pandemic made that impossible, so Diamond opens the show with the latest on MLB's hopes to save the season. Then, they get into his 1st book, "Swing Kings: The Inside Story of Baseball's Home Run Revolution." They talk about the new methods that take place in baseball, and the unique origins and methods used to change the game. That also becomes a debate on whether all these changes are good for the sport.

2 days before he was the first NBA Player and Sports Rudy Gobert tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus, he was at a press conference where he playfully touched a bunch of reporters' microphones. One of the people who were in that room, Ben Anderson, joins the show for this special episode. Anderson covers the Utah Jazz for KSLsports.com and does Jazz pre and post-game shows for select games. On the show, he explains Gobert's intentions, which were very criticized when the video of him went viral. He also explains his personal reaction when he heard that Gobert tested positive and that he had had such direct connection to him just days before. Anderson also explains his reaction to the NBA suspending its season, and offers suggestions about what to do when its finally time to resume sports.

This episode was recorded before the sports world shut down due to the coronavirus. However, this episode with Zach Leonsis is about the innovative ways fans can consume sports, and how Washington DC sports fans benefit from it. He is also the son of Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics owner Ted Leonsis. We also learn what Zach did with the Stanely Cup when the Capitals won it in 2018. Zach Leonsis is Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Monumental Sports and Entertainment and General Manager of Monumental Sports Network, a first-of-its-kind regional sports network for digital, mobile and over-the-top platforms. In 2016, Leonsis led the transformation of Monumental Sports Network - co-owned by Monumental Sports and Entertainment and NBC Sports Group - from an ad-based blogging platform into a direct-to-fan service content provider. Follow Zach on Twitter @ZacharyLeonsis

The worldwide epidemic known as COVID-19 or the Coronavirus has debilitated whole countries and posed a serious threat to the United States, let alone the sports world. Acclaimed journalist Jane McManus, New York Daily News sports columnist and Director of Marist's Center for Sports Communication, has been covering the impact that the coronavirus has affected sports. At the time of this release (March 11, 2020), a major tennis tournament has been canceled, as well as a few college basketball post-season conference tournaments. Furthermore, the NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS have altered media access to locker rooms as one response. This is an ongoing story, and perhaps some facts have been changed as time passes. Please know that there will be follow-ups as news warrants.

Syracuse legend John Wallace joined the show soon after having his jersey retired at the Carrier Dome. In this episode, he reflected on his accomplishments while at SU. He and Seth revisited the first time they met (in Seth's dorm when Micahel Jordan announced his first retirement), and then his tough but successful decision to stay at Syracuse for his senior year despite the chance to get into the NBA. Then, he regaled the stories of that magical 1996 Final Four run. He also discussed his NBA career and his current work with the New York Knicks. He commented on recent controversies involving James Dolan, and also the recent tragic passing of Kobe Bryant. His answers to both those stories are not what anyone would expect.

Award-winning actor Ben Affleck headlines a cast for a new movie, The Way Back, directed by Gavin O'Connor. Both Affleck and O'Connor are guests on this podcast. On the show, Affleck talks about learning how to be a basketball coach. Plus, he offers his opinion on his favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox. O'Connor joined the show on the actual day that was the 40th anniversary of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team. He directed "Miracle" and offered stories about his dealings with legendary coach Herb Brooks. In the film, a former student basketball player, now an adult struggling with alcoholism, is offered a coaching job at his alma mater. As the team starts to win, he may have a reason to confront his old demons. Additionally, 4 other cast members appear on this podcast. Will Ropp, Brandon Wilson, Melvin Gregg, Charles Lott Jr all play members of the high school basketball team. All four of them discuss playing basketball players, and how they had to have some basketball ability during the audition process. The Way Back is in theaters March 6, 2020.

Longtime player and manager Lou Piniella has a long history with Seth Everett. Piniella and John Franco were both honored at the 40th Annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City on February 4, 2020. They both were guests on this episode. Piniella's managerial tenure covered the Yankees, Reds, Mariners Devil Rays, and Cubs. It was when he managed the Mariners, that Seth covered them for KJR from 1998-2001. This episode is a reunion for a mentor in Seth's career. During an 18-year Major League career which included a Rookie of the Year campaign for the Royals in 1969, an All-Star season, and 1,700 career hits, Piniella was a two-time World Series champion teammate of Munson in back to back seasons in 1977 and '78. "Sweet Lou" continued that success as a manager with 1,835 managerial wins. He was selected Manager of the Year three times, and honors, and a World Series ring in Cincinnati in 1990. John Franco is one of baseball's all-time great relief pitchers during a 22-year career including 15 seasons with the Mets including three years as team captain. His 1,119 career games is a National League record, and ranks fourth in the history of Major League baseball. Franco's 424 career saves rank fifth all-time (second upon his retirement), and remains the most by a left-hander. The St. John's product was a four-time All-Star, three-time NL saves leader, and two-time Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award recipient. Franco is enshrined in the Mets Hall of Fame, the Staten Island Hall of Fame and the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame. Piniella received the Thurman "Champion" Award, and Franco was presented with the Munson "Captain" Award.

Nancy Lieberman, basketball Hall of Famer, was at the 40th Annual Thurman Munson Dinner in February 2020. There, Lieberman told the shocking story about how she was almost on the helicopter with Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and 7 others who perished in a crash on January 26th. Instead, she planned to do it 4 days after the tragedy. She spoke with Seth about the circumstances behind the shock and sadness she is feeling while telling this story of irony and tragedy. Then, Chad Finn, Sports Media Reporter for the Boston Globe, joined the show to discuss how so many in the media got so much wrong on the day of this tragedy. Finn explained how the culture of getting it first lead to many mistakes and a few gross missteps.

Less than two weeks before the posting of this episode, former Los Angeles Laker icon Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and 7 other victims. It was a tragedy that gripped the world, as the star died in a horrific tragedy. Former NBA player Etan Thomas, who played against Kobe from a very young age, joined the show to talk about Bryant's illustrious but sometimes complicated life. Thomas details his dealings with Kobe when they were both in high school. They also discuss the 2003 rape charge that was later dropped. Plus, they discuss the transformation of Bryant from a young phenom to an accomplished family man, and how his personality evolved as well as his friendships, including his relationship with longtime teammate Shaquille O'Neal. Follow Etan on Twitter @etanthomas36. This episode is dedicated to the 9 victims of the helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on January 26, 2020.

It's Super Bowl week and this year the game features the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers in Miami, Florida. To Preview the game, former NFL Offensive Lineman Kyle Turley joined the show to set the scene at Radio Row and to preview the big game. He also discussed his Cannabis company NeuroXPF and its medicinal effects that specifically CBD has had on his career. He also discusses the concussion issue facing the NFL. Then, Bovada Sportsbook Head Oddsmaker Patrick Morrow previews all the odds for the game, plus all the unique and exciting prop bets. Finally, New York Giants QB and frequent Sports with Friends guest Eli Manning announced his retirement from the NFL. Thanks to the New York Giants, we have his emotional statements, including his comments about Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Follow Kyle Turley on Instagram @kyle_turley.

This episode features Hall of Fame catcher Pudge Rodriguez. This interview took place at the Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club in Orlando, shortly before the recently completed celebrity division champion in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions for LPGA winners and entertainment and sports stars. Pudge was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017, and his career spanned 14 All-Star Game selections and 13 Gold Glove Awards and ultimately, 2 World Series titles. A majority of this interview was a discussion on the recent MLB cheating scandal involving the 2017 Houston Astros and 2018 Boston Red Sox.

Longtime radio veteran Chris Carlin joins the show to talk about his long and winding career, and all of it's stops. From WFAN to Rutgers to SNY to WIP to his new gig at ESPN New York 98.7, Chris Carlin has an exciting story to tell. Two notes- Seth worked at every place Chris has as their careers have intersected many times, tracing back to their beginnings in the NY-Penn League. Chris discusses the ups and downs with extraordinary candor. Plus, the show starts with a discussion on the recent MLB sign-stealing cheating scandal, and the impact it is having on the Astros, the Red Sox, and the Mets. Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisCarlin

David Stern, the 30-year commissioner who molded the shape of the modern NBA into a global iconic brand, died at the age of 77 on January 1st, 2020. He was the commissioner for 30 years, beginning in 1984, and lead the league into a period of great growth into an iconic brand that is a global icon. His tenure did not go without controversy. In this episode, three guests discuss the story in its entirety, but with three unique perspectives. Howard Beck: Senior NBA Writer at Bleacher Report Etan Thomas: former NBA Player and player rep for the NBA Players Association. Bob Stelton: 710 ESPN Radio Host in Seattle where one of Stern's biggest controversies took place. The departure of the Seattle SuperSonics for Oklahoma City has been a big talking point on previous episodes of this podcast.

Happy New Year! This episode is being released on New Year's Day. The NFL regular season is over, and the playoffs are about to begin. CBS Sports NFL Play-by-Play Announcer Andrew Catalon joins the show to break down every team and every 1st round matchup. He also gives his Super Bowl pick, which will surprise many listeners