Sports With Friends

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387. WFAN Creator, Former Seattle Mariners Owner Jeff Smulyan Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

Jeff Smulyan is known for creating the format of sports radio. Smulyan is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Emmis Broadcasting. In 1987, he created WFAN Radio in New York, the 1st 24-hour sports radio station of its kind. That spawned hundreds of sports radio stations across the country. In 1989, Smulyan lead a group that purchased the Seattle Mariners. In 1994, he was named to the White House as a US Ambassador to head the US Delegation to the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunications Union. Living in Indianapolis, Smulyan penned his memoir which was recently this year. It is entitled, “ Never Ride a Roller Coaster Upside Down – The Ups, Downs, and Reinvention of an Entrepreneur.” It can be found here: https://a.co/g9fjkDu. In this episode, Smulyan talks extensively about what went right and what didn't during his tenure as the Mariners' owner. He also talked about the idea to create a 24-hour sports station, and what made WFAN flourish. He also talked about the changing media landscape in both television and radio.

386. 2022 NFL Season Recap w/Andrew Catalon, CBS Sports Jan 18, 2023

Show notes

Making his third appearance on the podcast (Episodes 76, 230), Andrew Catalon rejoins the show to talk about his recently completed 9th season calling NFL games for CBS. He also calls NCAA men's basketball and golf. He has served as an announcer for the Network's Masters coverage since 2021, as well as serving as a host for select PGA TOUR events since 2020. He has partnered with James Lofton on NFL ON CBS broadcasts since 2017. He has also served as the preseason voice of the Buffalo Bills since 2015 and is a graduate of the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. In this episode, Catalon recaps some of the big events that he covered including two great Jacksonville Jaguars comebacks. He talks about the scheduling process and how he finds out what games he is calling. He also talks about the growth in popularity of the NCAA Tournament and his extraordinary work in Golf. Follow Andrew on social media @AndrewCatalon.

385. Sunday Ticket Moves From DirecTV to YouTube Jan 11, 2023

Show notes

In December 2022, the National Football League announced that its Sunday Ticket package, which had been on DirecTV for decades, had signed a 7-year agreement with Google to put the package on YouTube TV and YouTube Premium Channels. The new Sunday Ticket deal could be worth as much as $2.5 billion annually, including payments from YouTube and separate agreements to license the package to businesses including bars and restaurants. RedZone, a popular feature that allows fans to monitor Sunday games when teams get within scoring range, will no longer be available on DirecTV, but the N.F.L. will continue producing its own version of the broadcast. Tom Richardson is SVP of Strategy and Business Development for Mercury Intermedia, a leading cross-platform application development company with clients such as Comcast, Red Bull Media, and TED. He also is a professor at Columbia University's Sports Management Graduate Department teaching Digital Sports Media and Marketing. Follow Tom on social media at @ConvergenceTR.

384. What Went On During The Tragic Damar Hamlin Situation Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

On Monday, January 2nd, 2023, the Buffalo Bills played the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. After a tackle of receiver Tee Higgins during the 1st quarter, Bills Safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and had to be administered CPR on the field. Hamlin was eventually revived and then taken in an ambulance to a local hospital. The game was eventually suspended. The NFL said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that the game will not be resumed this week and that no decision has been made regarding playing the remainder of it at a later date. David Moulton is a broadcaster on the Florida Sports Network. He is also a spotter/statistician for Troy Aikman on the Monday Night Football broadcast. Moulton was in the booth when Hamlin went down. He joined the show to provide an eyewitness account of what he saw, what he had access to, and the feel in the stadium while the whole event was happening. Follow David Moulton on social media @THEDavidMoulton.

383. Two Jews Hanging on Christmas (Volume 5) Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

It has been five years since Scott Seidenberg, now a Sportsbetting host/Pro at Pregame.com joins the show. Back in 2018, the show was supposed to be posted on Christmas Day, and there was no episode ready to go. Enter Scott, as he and Seth and many other people who do not celebrate Christmas usually spend it eating Chinese food and watching sports and cartoons. That year, they got together and talked about the year in sports. Then, in 2019, they did it again. Now, as 2022 comes to a close, Scott rejoins the show to talk about a potpourri of sports topics, including the recent deal between the NFL and YouTube about the Sunday Ticket. They also discussed the early success of Seths hockey team, the New Jersey Devils, the 2022 World Cup, its impact on soccer in the US, player contracts in sports, and much more. Follow Scott on social media @Scottsonair.

382. Scott Hanson, NFL Red Zone (from NFL Network) Dec 21, 2022

Show notes

For 14 seasons, Scott Hanson has hosted the NFL Red Zone, presented by NFL Network. A longtime TV sportscaster, Hanson joined NFL Network in 2006. In 2009, the NFL launched its own Red Zone channel, a counterpart of DirecTVs version that comes as part of the Sunday Ticket Package. That Red Zone is hosted by two-time Sports with Friends guest Andrew Siciliano. Ironically, Hanson is also a graduate of Syracuse University. In this episode, he discusses the evolution of the show he hosts, and how the NFL has done a big job of airing this channel on a number of cable outlets and streaming services, outside of DirecTV. He talks about what goes into the broadcast and gives great details on what it takes on an NFL Sunday to put that show together. Hanson also gives his preferences for the number of games during a show, and how there is always at least one wild finish. Seth began watching the NFL Red Zone via Hulu in 2021 and explains how it has impacted his football viewership. Seth also thinks he met Scott as a freshman when Hanson was a senior. Follow Scott Hanson on social media @ScottHanson.

381. The Passing of Grant Wahl & The Release of Britney Griner Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

Two major off-the-field sports stories broke, and this episode focuses on both. In Qatar, noted US Soccer Journalist Grant Wahl died in the press box of a World Cup Quarterfinal match. Days prior, 2-time US Gold Medalist and WNBA Superstar Britney Griner was released into US Custody by Russian authorities in a prisoner swap between the US and Russia. This episode is divided into two halves. First, Sports Media reporter Richard Deitsch from the Athletic joins the show to discuss the passing of Wahl. Deitsch and Wahl were colleagues at Sports Illustrated for years. Deitsch addresses questions surrounding Wahls shocking death and eloquently discusses Wahls incredible journalism career. Then, T.J. Quinn, an investigative reporter for ESPN, joins the show for his fourth appearance. Quinn has been at the forefront of the coverage of Griner in Russia from her arrest to her recent release. Quinn talked extensively about Griners case in Episode 359 of the podcast. He discussed his career in Episode 244 and his bout with Long Covid in Episode 319. In this episode, Quinn details the terms of the swap of Griner for a Russian arms dealer. He also talks extensively about US Marine Paul Whelan, who is still in a Russian prison. T.J. addresses many controversies that have surrounded the political ramifications of her release.

380. Carl Dukes, 92.9 The Game (Atlanta), CBS Sports Radio Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

Longtime Atlanta talk show host Carl Dukes has known Seth for nearly two decades. Their connection in friendship is due to the friendship with the late Darryl Hamilton. Dukes currently hosts “Dukes and Bell” on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta, Georgia. He also hosts a weekend show nationally on CBS Sports Radio. Dukes was working in Houston when Stayin Hot with Seth & Bone was on MLB Radio. He was a regular contributor, and after Darryls passing in 2015 (which lead in part to the creation of this podcast, something that is explained in the opening of this episode), Carl and Seth bonded over the loss of their great friend. In this episode, they tell the stories of how they got connected, and then discussed the unique intersection of sports and politics going on in Atlanta, Georgia. They discuss former Senator and Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler, to current Senate candidate and Georgia football star Herschel Walker. They also discussed where Dukes feels sports radio is headed in the future… Follow Carl Dukes on social media @putemupcdukes.

379. Miami Sports w/Jonathan Zaslow Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

Jonathan Zaslow was a radio host in South Florida for nearly two decades. He was a host on 790-The Ticket, and then 560-WQAM. For 12 years, he was the pre/post-game host of the Miami Heat. In 2022, Zaslow was let go by Audacy, the company that owns both radio stations. The Ticket is no longer a sports radio station. Zaslow has recently reinvented himself, starting a podcast, “The Zaslow Show 2.0.” In this episode, Zaslow discusses his South Florida upbringing and his passion for the local teams. He talks about the stigma Miami has as a sports market. He also discusses the ascension of the Miami Dolphins, the popularity of the Miami Heat, and the plight of the Miami Marlins. All local teams are covered. Follow Jonathan Zaslow on social media @ZaslowShow.

378. 2022 World Cup from Qatar with Tab Ramos Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

The World Cup is arguably the largest sports event on the calendar. In November/December 2022, the nation of Qatar is hosting the World Cup. It was moved to November from the summer due to the extreme heat in the area. There has been much controversy surrounding the host country. Human rights issues and corruption have plagued this event. Tab Ramos is an announcer for this World Cup for NBC/Universal. While FOX is the World Cup Broadcaster, NBCs Telemundo and Peacock Streaming Service is offering the Spanish-language broadcast, of which Ramos is a commentator. Over his thirteen-year professional career, Ramos played as a midfielder in Spain, Mexico, and the United States. The first player to sign with Major League Soccer, he spent the last seven years of his career with the MetroStars. He featured in three World Cups and was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2005. In this episode, Ramos addresses the World Cup being in Qatar, specifically the interruption of professional seasons in various domestic leagues, including the Premier League and Bundesliga. Ramos also addresses whether Qatar is pronounced cutt-er or KAH-TAR. Follow Tab on social media @RamosTab.

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