Stay ConnectedSports Spectrum brings you stories and conversations at the intersection of sports and Jesus.
On Tuesday, former Chicago Bears pro bowl running back Matt Forte hosts TUEDAY MORNING RB.
On Friday, we feature a guest from the world of sports to share their Jesus story.
Copyright: © Sports Spectrum
Episode 461
Anthony Rendon is the new third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels. He signed a seven year deal with the Angels in December 2019 and will begin the 2020 season in the middle of a lineup that includes Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.
Rendon was selected in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals (6th overall) and two years later would make his MLB debut on April 21, 2013. For the next 6 years, Anthony would be a key player in leading the Nationals to three NL East division titles (2014, 2016, and 2017) and a World Series championship in 2019.
In that 2019 season, Rendon had a career year, hitting .319 with 34 home runs and an MLB-leading 126 runs batted in. He finished third in the NL MVP voting and hit .276 with 2 home runs and 8 RBI in the 2019 World Series victory over Houston.
On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Rendon about winning a World Series, the decision to sign with the Angels, how his faith gives him peace and keeps him grounded and why an injury that he suffered at age 19 was what led him to turn his life over to the Lord.
For more stories on sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com.
Episode 460
Zach Zenner is an NFL running back who came into the league in 2015 with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent following a stellar college career at South Dakota State. He rushed for 2,000 yards in 2012, 2013 and 2014 with the Jackrabbits and was an Academic All-American in his senior season of 2014.
After coming to the NFL, Zenner made his debut in 2015, and in 2016 he burst onto the national stage, rushing for 67 yards and two touchdowns on Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys. He went on to play two more seasons in Detroit in 2017 and 2018.
In 2019, Zenner lived a whirlwind football life seeing action with the Saints, Cardinals and Dolphins.
On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Zenner about his crazy 2019 season, how he stayed positive in the midst of being released multiple times, how his faith in Jesus became real during his time in college, and what he envisions himself doing in 10 years.
For more stories on faith and sports, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com
BONUS
On today’s episode of the podcast, we look at faith within the 2019 Tennessee Titans locker room with four members of the team: quarterback Ryan Tannehill, offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, linebacker Wesley Woodyard and team chaplain James Mitchell.
Woodyard, who handles the hosting duties on this interview, came to Tennessee in 2014 as a free-agent signing from Denver. Tannehill played seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins before being traded to Tennessee in March 2019. Saffold came to Tennessee in 2019 after playing nine seasons with the Rams in St. Louis and Los Angeles. And Mitchell just finished his second season as team chaplain with the Titans after spending a decade with the Duke Blue Devils football program.
This podcast episode takes a look at how Mitchell has helped cultivate a culture of faith within the Titans locker room, why new guys like Tannehill and Saffold were able to assimilate themselves so well within the team, and how Woodyard has provided a spiritual spark as a veteran leader for Tennessee.
For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com
Episode 459
Jose Campo is a National Wrestling Hall of Famer who coached wrestling for over forty years. He is the son of Hall of Fame wrestling coach Joe Campo and is currently the team chaplain for the USA Olympic wrestling team.
Growing up, Jose was taught right from wrong, but a series of bad choices including his involvement in the largest cheating scandal in West Point history at Army, spiraled Jose down a bad path. Ultimately, it was putting his faith and trust in Jesus Christ that allowed him to come back and today, he spends his life dedicated to God and serving the Lord through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as a spiritual mentor for the U.S. wrestling team.
On this episode of the podcast, Jose shares how he is serving with USA Wrestling, growing up with a legend of a father, how his life got caught up in a cheating scandal and the beautiful redemption story that God played in bring him out of his mess.
For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com
BONUS EPISODE
Morgan Trent is a former NFL player who was selected in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played his college football at the University of Michigan, where he started 41 of 48 games and had eight career interceptions. He also was a track and field sprinter with the Wolverines before joining the NFL.
After playing four seasons with the Bengals, Colts, Jaguars and Redskins, Trent’s NFL career was over and he turned to real estate. He earned his real estate license and is currently working with Aaron Kirman Partners and selling real estate in Southern California. And he is currently featured on CNBC’s newest show “Listing Impossible,” airing Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET. You can also watch the show online at CNBC.com.
He attends Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., and lives by the simple phrase “Love God, Love People.”
On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Trent about going from the reality show of the NFL to a reality show on CNBC. He tells us how he got interested in real estate, how his personal relationship with Jesus took shape in college, what faith was like in the NFL, living out that faith now as a real estate agent, and the difficulty that so many have in transitioning out of the NFL into the workplace.
For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com
Episode 458
Carson Wentz is the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles. He was selected No. 2 overall in the 2016 draft, and he has started each of the 57 games he has played since. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2017 but was unable to play due to an ACL injury earlier that season, which also kept him out as the Eagles went on to win Super Bowl LII.
Wentz battled injuries in 2018 as well, appearing in only 11 games, but he started all 16 regular-season games in 2019 and got to play in his first NFL playoff game. He enters his fifth season as one of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks.
In the summer of 2017, Wentz started his Audience of One Foundation, which is dedicated to “uplifting individuals and communities around the world by demonstrating God’s love for His people.” It is made up of three primary ministries: Thy Kingdom Crumb (a food truck that distributes free food); Outdoor Ministry (hunting and fishing trips for kids); and the Haiti Sports Complex (sports facilities in Haiti).
Wentz is also a married man and soon-to-be father. Shortly after winning the Super Bowl, Wentz proposed to his girlfriend, Maddie. The two were married in July 2018, and they are expecting their first child, a girl.
On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Carson and Maddie about marriage, what Maddie’s Sundays are like watching her husband on the field, how Christ is at the center of their marriage, and the excitement surrounding their upcoming baby girl’s arrival.
For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com
Episode 457
Clint Hurdle has been a staple in Major League Baseball for over forty years. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round (ninth overall) of the 1975 MLB Draft and just two years later, made his MLB debut. A member of the 1980 American League championship team in Kansas City, Hurdle would play for seven more years until retiring in 1987.
After his playing days ended, Hurdle went into coaching in 1988 and 14 years later, would be named the manager of the Colorado Rockies. During his time with Colorado, he would lead the Rockies to the National League title and a trip to the World Series in 2007.
After his time in Colorado ended in 2010, he would sign on to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011 where he led the Bucs to three straight playoff appearances in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In 2013, he was named Sporting News NL Manager of the Year.
In September of 2019, he was relieved of his duties as manager of the Pirates.
On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Clint Hurdle about adjusting to life away from baseball, where his faith in Jesus began, how a crisis of faith in his early forties helped him grow closer to the Lord, how he lived his faith out as a manager and why spending time with his family right now is his number one priority.
For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com
BONUS EPISODE
Josh McCown spent the 2019 season as a quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was originally selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals after playing his college football Sam Houston State.
Josh would go on to play 17 NFL seasons with eleven different teams (Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, Panthers, 49ers, Bears, Buccaneers, Browns, Jets and Eagles).
In 2019, Josh backed up Carson Wentz in Philadelphia and found himself making his first ever appearance in a playoff game when he came in to relieve an injured Wentz in the Eagles loss to the Seahawks. In that game, McCown suffered a torn hamstring off the bone and continued to play an entire half with the injury.
On this episode of the podcast, Josh McCown shares a health update on his torn hamstring, getting the opportunity to play in his first ever playoff game, why he came out of retirement to play in 2019, what faith in the Eagles locker room was like and what Josh's plans are for 2020.
For more stories of faith and sports, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com
Episode 456
Since 2014, David Baker has been the President and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At 6'9 and 400 pounds, David is an imposing figure but he's also the one guy every former NFL player loves during the Super Bowl as Baker is the guy who knocks on the door and congratulates the new inductees every year to the Hall.
In 2018, the Pro Football Hall of Fame was voted the Best Attraction for Sports Fans in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest.
Before his football governing days, Baker played professional basketball in Switzerland and worldwide with a Christian basketball team that beat the best in the world. He was elected Mayor and Councilman of Irvine, Calif., the country’s first master-planned city and served for 12 years as the Commissioner of the Arena Football League.
Baker is the father of two boys – Ben who is the Director of Broadcasting at NASCAR and Sam who played left tackle for the Atlanta Falcons and currently serves as a coach for Mission Viejo High School football team. David and his wife Colleen also have a daughter Leyla and a son, Michael; and are the proud grandparents of eight beautiful grandchildren.
On this episode of the podcast, we talk to David about his job telling football players that they're in the Hall of Fame, the parallels of football and scripture, the experience of telling Jimmy Johnson and Bill Cowher in person live on a broadcast that they were going to Canton. David's a strong leader and he shares how his walk with the Lord guides his work each day.
For more stories on sports and faith, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com
Episode 455
Matt Carpenter is a 3-time All-Star with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was selected in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft out of TCU. A three-time second-team All Mountain West Conference selectee, he broke TCU's school record for games played and at bats.
He would make his MLB debut in June of 2011 and has been a mainstay in the Cardinals lineup since becoming a regular in 2012. In 2013, he would be selected to his first All-Star game in helping St. Louis to the World Series. He would make two more All-Star game appearances in 2014 and 2016.
In 2018, he hit a career high 36 home runs and in 2019, he reached 1,000 career hits.
On this episode of the podcast, we talked to Matt about the 2020 season, why he doesn't wear batting gloves, how his time in college at TCU opened his heart up to the Lord and what living that faith out each day looks like today compared to when he first came to St. Louis nine years ago.
We also want to send a special welcome to our new partners and sponsors International Justice Mission. You can learn more about the great work they're doing at IJM.org/TF
For more stories and interviews, visit our website -- http://SportsSpectrum.com
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