NBA Hall of Famer and current head coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and LeBron James insider Damon Jones were all arrested by the FBI on serious gambling charges, involving improper betting, high-stakes poker, and the Italian mafia. Do they matter culturally? On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
7:30 - After Chad's solo podcast about Formula 1 and Apple TV, we briefly revisit the subject and John shares his reaction to the news.
18:00 - We give a quick update after the first 3 games of the World Series
27:30 - THE BIG STORY: We break down every angle of the latest NBA betting scandal, including how the mafia is involved, what this means for the integrity of the sport, and if Adam Silver is now officially on the hot seat.
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In this special, emergency episode of Crunching Tackles, Chad reacts to the breaking news about Formula One's broadcast rights going to Apple TV. What does this shift mean for the sport, and the larger streaming sports landscape?
We will be back with a regularly scheduled podcast later. John is enjoying a wonderful honeymoon in Ireland with his new bride, and the Crunching Tackles family sends them our love!
This week, Ousmane Dembélé won the Ballon D'or—the award for the best men's soccer player. This choice was surprising, and underwhelming, and led us to a conversation about the importance of individual awards. Are they measured correctly? Do they matter culturally? On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
25:00 - A quick update on the Pablo Torre investigation into Steve Ballmer and the Los Angeles Clippers.
36:15 - THE BIG STORY: The importance of individual awards.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
A bombshell investigation by Pablo Torre alleges that Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer funneled money through a shadow company to Kawhi Leonard to compensate him above the salary cap. If true, this is one of the most shocking frauds in NBA history. On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
10:00 - U.S. Open recap and the amazing rivalry of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz that is not slowing down!
27:45 - The USMNT have had mixed but largely disappointing results. As the countdown continues until the World Cup, what should our expectations for the team be?
43:20 - THE BIG STORY: Steve Ballmer, Kawhi Leonard, and Aspiration
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
The NFL and ESPN have announced a merger that gives ESPN control of NFL Media and gives the NFL an ownership stake in ESPN. This arrangement comes with huge conflicts of interest and moral implications. On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
5:45 - Chad recaps his recent trip, including some amazing sporting experiences that he brings back to the pod.
19:00 - Cadillac Formula 1 team have announced their driver lineup for 2026, and it is a huge sign of confidence in the team.
22:50 - The U.S. Open is underway, and we share what we are most excited about for the next two weeks.
30:50 - How are we feeling about our respective teams as the Premier League gets underway?
49:15 - THE BIG STORY: The NFL/ESPN Merger
1:12:30 - Eddington is scary, funny, and bold.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
Pablo Torre has unearthed a shocking scandal taking place with the NFL and the NFL Player's Association in recent weeks. This scandal has caused major embarrassment for the league, and has led to the resignation of several prominent player's union executives. On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
1:00 - We discuss how Nikola Jokic has finally found a sport he cares about
9:00 - We react to the horrific shooting that took place this week in Manhattan and was specifically targeting the NFL headquarters. How does the decades-long study into CTE continue to impact players today?
37:50 - For our main story, we break down all the details of the drama happening with the NFLPA, and also take scope of the changing landscape of journalism that led to this story being broken on a podcast.
You can find Pablo Torre Finds Out on Apple Podcasts.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
One of the biggest summer blockbusters is also a fascinating artifact of sports and culture. In other words, all our various passions and interests collide in this high octane episode! On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
3:40 - Wimbledon 2025 Recap
25:50 - Club World Cup Final and President Trump's viral moment
37:50 - F1 The Movie Review and Cultural Analysis
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
A recent study examined the cost of being a sports fan to the American consumer, and the results are shocking! On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
4:20 - How the Club World Cup is going this summer.
13:20 - A strange confrontation between ICE and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
18:30 - The Senegal Women's Basketball team being denied entry to the US for their summer camp.
25:00 - The increasing cost of sports and the impact of greed on the average fan.
You can read Joon Lee's article in The New York Times here.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
A fog of uncertainty surrounds America as we host two major international tournaments this summer. The Club World Cup and the Gold Cup are intense dress rehearsals for the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. The question is: are we ready? On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
5:30 - The 2025 French Open. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner put on a performance for the ages, while Aryna Sabalenka imploded against Coco Gauff.
26:15 - The House vs. NCAA settlement, which paves the way for direct compensation for student athletes from their universities.
38:30 - America's soccer summer. We start with a disappointing start for the USMNT, and our increasing concerns about the team. Next, we look at the seeming lack of interest in the 2025 Club World Cup, and discuss why blatant money-grabs don't create good drama. Finally, we preview both the Gold Cup and the Club World Cup in the context of the political and social turmoil taking place here at home. What is it going to take for these events to be successful?
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
For decades, Bill Belichick built his brand on stoicism, silence, and excellence. In recent years, his relationship with Jordan Hudson has seemingly changed his entire persona. On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
2:00 - The New York Knicks and their super fan Timothee Chalamet
7:00 - John Haliburton being banned and subsequently reinstated by the NBA following his altercation with Giannis
13:30 - Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have renewed their rivalry in 2025, but the discourse surrounding their latest matchup has been shockingly toxic
29:20 - The French Open pays tribute to their GOAT—Rafael Nadal
35:00 - Bill Belichick is under the spotlight for his relationship with Jordan Hudson. Does anything about this story actually matter?
1:02:40 - We review Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
The pope is American, he's a certified baseball fan, and the Catholic Church has a detailed and rich theology of sports that we want to talk about! On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
4:00 - NBA Draft Lottery and Playoff check-in.
11:15 - Barcelona and Inter Milan played one of the greatest soccer ties of all time.
16:05 - Major League Baseball unbanned Pete Rose, Joe Jackson, and others. Why is this happening now? Should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame?
25:30 - Pope Leo XIV
35:00 - The theology of sports. To read the Holy See's bulletin, click here.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
In one of the most anticipated and widely covered NFL Drafts, Shedeur Sanders slid all the way to the fifth round. This prompted a flurry of broadcast and social media reactions. On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
8:15 - Liverpool win the Premier League and is Mohamed Salah the best player in the world right now?
24:00 - The NBA Playoffs are underway and the Lakers are in serious trouble. Why does LeBron James seem uninterested in winning in his age-40 season?
44:10 - Cam Ward was drafted number one overall; Shedeur Sanders slid all the way to the fifth round; Mel Kiper and Stephen A. Smith had televised meltdowns. We break down all the biggest headlines from the 2025 NFL draft.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
In the most dramatic Masters in recent memory, Rory McIlroy exorcized his demons, and wrote his name in the history books. On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
0:30 - Arsenal's convincing win over Real Madrid in the Champions League Quarterfinals. Where does John's club sit now in the hierarchy of European soccer?
14:20 - The NCAA Basketball National Championship. All four 1-seeds advanced to the Final Four, the National Championship ended on a strange sequence, and the overall vibe of the tournament was muted. What did we like? What are we hoping changes?
24:20 - We recap the 2025 Masters, focusing on Rory McIlroy and the amazing experience of watching him complete the Grand Slam. This felt like a huge cultural moment in America, so what does it take for golf to break through in the mainstream?
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
The first two rounds of the 2025 NCAA tournament featured some amazing basketball, but few upsets and even less drama. What is the state of the tournament given the recent changes to the transfer portal and NIL? On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
4:00 - We briefly fill out the list of Stephen A. Smith's potential cabinet secretaries.
13:30 - We recap the disastrous weekend for the U.S. Men's National Team, which saw them place fourth in the Nations League. How concerned should soccer fans be just one year before we host the World Cup?
25:40 - We recap the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, focusing on the important games on the court and the important cultural issues from the first weekend.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
Television and sports personality Stephen A. Smith has been venturing into a new media space: politics. Now, he's one of the most talked about potential candidates for the Democratic nominee for president. On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
2:30 - We recap the 2025 Oscars, talking about the success of the show, the biggest winners and losers, and the general state of movies in culture right now.
18:50 - We transition to a conversation about the first episode of the newest season of Drive to Survive, and particularly how the show covered the scandal involving Christian Horner last year.
30:40 - March Madness is just around the corner, and we discuss the quiet of the college basketball season so far, as well as discuss some of the biggest stories on our minds going into the tournament.
52:00 - THE BIG STORY: Stephen A. Smith is now being discussed as a legitimate presidential candidate. How did this happen? What would it mean for politics and sports? Do we think he has a real chance?
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
Early into his presidency, Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing transgender women from competing in women's sports in public schools and under the NCAA. Charlie Baker—president of the NCAA—responded with immediate compliance. On today's show, Chad and John discuss:
2:50 - The remarkable Four Nations NHL tournament, the USA v. Canada hockey rivalry fueled by politics, and the state of All-Star games across sports.
17:50 - Jannik Sinner settles his ongoing charges of PED use, and agrees to serve a 3 month suspension. What does this mean for Sinner and for the future of doping cases?
32:40 - THE BIG STORY: The Transgender Sports ban, the national reaction, and what's next in this hugely significant cultural story.
54:50 - Some brief final thoughts about the state of the Oscars and our frustrations with the voting Academy.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
The big game in New Orleans is in the books, and the Philadelphia Eagles came out on top! On today's podcast, we discuss the game and the broader implications. We also recap Kendrick Lamar's halftime show, Donald Trump's surprise appearance, and the abysmal state of Super Bowl commercials.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
In a whirlwind podcast, Chad and John discuss the 2025 Australian Open, briefly revisit the Champions League Group Stage, and preview the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and the Eagles.
7:30 - 2025 Australian Open Review
25:20 - Champions League Group Stage Review
30:30 - The Super Bowl talk
56:40 - A brief discussion of The Brutalist and the Oscar nominations.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
The NFL and NCAA Football playoffs are in full swing, and we are locked into all the action. Plus, tennis has gotten underway in Australia. Chad and John make sure you are aware of all the exciting action coming in the first month of 2025.
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
As 2024 comes to a close, we are recapping and revisiting our top stories in sports, and our favorite movies, for the year!
4:07: We highlight 2 current sports stories from the NFL and College Football
8:00: Sports Stories—Number 5
20:00: Number 4
27:50: Number 3
34:50: Number 2
45:40: Number 1
58:15: Top Movies—Number 5
1:04:30: Number 4
1:09:30: Number 3
1:13:34: Number 2
1:18:00: Number 1
As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!
