Staunton Police confirmed that they are investigating a reported incident involving a man with a gun at the April 5 Hands Off! protest rally, and one of the witnesses to the incident told AFP on Wednesday that he intends to press charges against the man.
The search is over, and UVA Basketball has its guy, Ryan Odom, who was introduced to the world on Monday with a public press conference at JPJ. Odom said hello by offering the observation “I love offense,” and that he want to “play fast,” which might take some getting used to by the Embrace the Pace set.
The timestamp on the email from the UVA Basketball SID announcing that the school was cutting ties with Ron Sanchez was 5:00 p.m. ET on the dot. #TeamAFP’s Scott German noted that the FlightAware flight-tracking app had the team in the air over the Virginia-North Carolina border as the email was going out. Sanchez didn’t learn his fate by email in the air or when the plane landed in Charlottesville, in case you were wondering. Our contacts down in Charlotte described the scene after Virginia’s 6...
There are two stories to follow right now with UVA Basketball – the season, which is now down to whatever happens in the ACC Tournament, and the coach search, which is at the end stages on a different time frame. Today’s podcast tries to dive into both. I start with a look ahead to Wednesday’s second-round ACC Tournament 8-9 game between UVA and Georgia Tech. Then we shift to the latest in the coach search, which has had a ton of developments in just the past couple of days....
The gloves are off at NASCAR headquarters, with news breaking that the racing giant has filed a countersuit against 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, which initiated action against NASCAR last year over the terms of the new team charters. Rod Mullins, our NASCAR beat writer, joined the show to help me break down the particulars to the latest move in this back-and-forth. Rod also reviews Christopher Bell’s win from Sunday in Texas, and gets us ready for this weekend in Phoenix....
The search committee that has been vetting candidates for the open UVA Basketball coaching job is in crunch time. We know who the top candidates are now, but of course there are so many variables at play. I had Scott German on with me on today’s podcast to break down the latest of what we know, which is a lot – that the search is revolving around, for now, at least, Marquette coach Shaka Smart and VCU coach Ryan Odom. Among the issues: we’re still weeks away from being able to get anybody to sig...
Rod Mullins, our NASCAR beat writer, joins “Street Knowledge” to review Christopher Bell’s OT win in Atlanta, and to help get us ready for this weekend in Texas. The meat of the podcast this week is on the topic of TV ratings: for the Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, with an eye toward what NASCAR will do in the next couple of years to address its TV rights. We wrap the show with news out of Southwest Virginia. Rod is also the editor of Dickenson Media, and we chatted about flood...
Ron Sanchez is the interim coach with the UVA Basketball program, but there’s some momentum toward Sanchez being a serious candidate to get the job on a full-time basis. I go into detail about what we’re hearing on the Sanchez candidacy in this podcast, and also share what I learned from the look at the contracts of Virginia Tech basketball coach Mike Young and Hokies football coach Brent Pry.
A busy couple of days for UVA Basketball, with the loss at home to Virginia Tech at the buzzer on Saturday, then the quick turnaround for a road trip to Pitt. The ‘Hoos dominated the NCAA Tournament aspirant, winning 73-57 in a game that was essentially over at halftime. We break down how UVA did it, ahead of talking through the news coming up the rest of this week with the wrap on the winter recruiting season for UVA Football.
DEI – diversity, equity, inclusion – is “immoral,” per Donald Trump , a White man born into millions whose father bought him an Ivy League degree and gave him a $400 million head start in the business world. Your first indication that U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., is planning to run for re-election in 2026: he voted for the Laken Riley Act, the pretend get-tough-on-immigration bill that will allow the Trump administration to go after DACAs and people under Temporary Protected Status protections....
The UVA Basketball team, which has lost its last five, and is 1-6 in the ACC, gets Boston College, which has lost its last four, and is 1-6 in the ACC, in JPJ on Tuesday night. The only reason this one is on TV – ACC Network, 7 p.m. ET – is because every game is on TV in this day and age. True story: my wife gave up her season tickets this season (we might have anticipated … something), so she buys single-games each time out. The gamble: that she’d get ‘em cheaper than what we’d pay for the seas...
The reactions to the news that UVA President Jim Ryan has finalized an extension with Athletics Director Carla Williams that includes a substantial raise for Williams aren’t trending in a good direction. Fans and alums are in meltdown mode on social media over a raise for an AD whose football and men’s basketball programs are in free-fall. Meanwhile, the blowback at the highest levels is on Ryan, involving the part about the substantial raise. “The Board of Visitors Executive Committee approved ...
The UVA Basketball program has taken up residence on the Left Coast, with a two-game road trip to new ACC members Cal and Stanford. The 75-61 loss to Cal on Wednesday revealed more in the way of warts for the ‘Hoos, who were awful on offense, and worse on defense. Interim coach Ron Sanchez, for his part, seems at a loss for answers. It’s feeling like a lost season for Virginia fans. Stories covered in this podcast A not good Cal team dominated Virginia: The writing is officially on the wall UVA ...
AEW finally played the back half of the home-and-home with New Japan, sending a handful of stars to Tokyo last week for “Wrestle Dynasty.” I had resident #TeamAFP AEW beat writer Ray Petree on for our weekly wrestling podcast, and the relationship between AEW and NJPW was a focal point. Among the discussion points: Kenny Omega made his in-ring return at “Wrestle Dynasty,” an interesting choice, given that AEW is where he makes a tony of money. Despite telling the AEW audience on this week’s “Dyn...
UVA Basketball gets Louisville on Saturday in JPJ, with the Cardinals fresh off a 13-point win over North Carolina. In this podcast, we preview the UVA-Louisville matchup, with updates on the status of point guards Dai Dai Ames and Christian Bliss, and we get a glimpse into the thinking of interim coach Ron Sanchez, with every game, at this point, being a must-win. Online Preview: What UVA Basketball fans need to know about Louisville UVA Basketball: Updates on point guards Christian Bliss, Dant...
The UVA Basketball team hosts NC State on New Year’s Eve in the ACC home opener for the ‘Hoos, with a lot on the line, including, apparently, the job prospects of interim head coach Ron Sanchez. I’m overstating that, as I discuss in this podcast – the writing is on the wall as far as the coaching search is concerned. We go into that, and also get into the weeds on the odd story coming out of Tallahassee regarding a suit filed against FSU Basketball coach Leonard Hamilton over NIL payments. ICYMI...
AEW has had a nice run of shows as lead-ins to Saturday night’s “World’s End” pay-per-view, which will feature the semifinals and final of the Continental Classic and a four-way match for the AEW world championship. I had #TeamAFP resident AEW beat writer Ray Petree on the podcast today to review this week’s “Collision” and “Dynamite,” as the basis of us then trying to forecast the eight-match “World’s End” card. The card: MJF vs. Adam Cole for possession of the Dynamite Diamond Ring AEW Interna...
AEW returned to Washington, D.C., this week, for the “Holiday Bash” edition of “Dynamite.” The show, which featured an instant classic between Darby Allin and Will Ospreay, a TBS title defense by Mercedes Mone and backstage musings from Swerve Strickland, Ricochet and Toni Storm, got a nice jolt in the ratings, and drew 3,000 people to the Entertainment & Sports Arena. #TeamAFP’s Ray Petree was there live, and I had him on for this week’s podcast to talk about how the TV show played to the l...
For some reason, Memphis coach Penny Hardaway played UVA Basketball for the first 20 minutes on Wednesday night – measured, precise, largely halfcourt basketball. Go figure, it didn’t work – the Cavaliers led 30-21 at the break, and seemed poised for the upset of the 21st-ranked Tigers. Hardaway unleashed the hounds of hell on the ‘Hoos in the second half, pressing full court after makes and misses, utilizing halfcourt traps to get Virginia out of its offensive sets. The stratagem turned the nin...
AEW continues to struggle in the ratings, averaging 594,000 viewers for its two-hour “Dynamite” on Wednesday. The show had more ups than downs, though. I talked with Ray Petree, our resident AEW beat writer here at AFP, to review the show. We also discussed the controversy that has arisen backstage with Toni Storm making her return on Friday’s “Rampage,” and the lingering issue with the contract status of Ray Fenix.
You want to blame UVA Football coach Tony Elliott, or UVA Basketball coach Ron Sanchez, or the athletics director, Carla Williams, but the truth is, the problems with UVA Athletics are more than what you think. Our #TeamAFP resident Chicken Little, Scott German, joins me on the podcast for a rousing discussion of all that ails UVA Athletics. Included in our rather depressing chat: We’re losing the starting quarterback, Anthony Colandrea, for no good reason. We’re keeping the offensive coordinato...
UVA Football showed improvement in 2024, winning five games in coach Tony Elliott’s third season, after back-to-back three-win seasons. But with Elliott facing having to replace 43 seniors and grad students off the 2024 roster, and his starting QB, Anthony Colandrea, hitting the transfer portal, his career at UVA, and the UVA Football program itself, is at a crossroads.
AEW dropped the ball with a lackluster “Dynamite” following the solid Nov. 23 “Full Gear” pay-per-view. I welcomed AFP resident AEW beat writer Ray Petree to break down the past week in All Elite Wrestling. We discus “Dynamite,” “Full Gear,” look ahead to “World’s End,” and discuss the ongoing odd behind-the-scenes drama with Ricky Starks, and the booking for Darby Allin, who is either headed toward a main-event run with AEW world champ Jon Moxley, or is being booked into oblivion after sufferin...
It’s not a rivalry, any more than there’s a rivalry between bugs and a bug zapper, but anyway, this week is UVA-Virginia Tech football week. It’s my job to get you ready for the annual beatdown, so, here goes. Virginia Tech may have to go with freshman Pop Watson at QB for UVA game The folks in Vegas aren’t fooled by the strong possibility that Virginia Tech is going to have to go with its third-string freshman quarterback. UVA Football Injury Report: Vaughn needs to step up at RB, good news wit...
That’s just an expression, the thing about sniffing glue, and I doubt many UVA sports fans actually partake, but whatever the vice is, you’re probably doing more of it now, with your football and basketball teams partying like it’s 2009. My effort at helping you find healthier ways to deal with your anxieties is this podcast. The topics: UVA Football: How bad have things gotten, really? An examination SMU left its starting quarterback in to throw a TD pass with 1:42 to go up 33-7, which should p...
AEW is headed to the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., for its annual “Full Gear” pay-per-view (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET). I had #TeamAFP AEW beat writer Ray Petree on my “Street Knowledge” podcast today to help me break down the card. To help you follow along, here are the matches: MJF Roderick Strong Will Ospreay Kyle Fletcher “Hangman” Adam Page “Switchblade” Jay White Bobby Lashley vs. Swerve Strickland Four-way match for the AEW world tag team titles: Private Party (c) The Acclaimed vs. The Out...
It’s a busy week for UVA sports fans. The UVA Football team has #12 SMU coming to town, and the UVA Basketball team is in the Bahamas getting ready for two games against Top 25 opponents. AFP editor Chris Graham covers the big topics of the week. On this podcast: Preview: A lot has to go right for UVA Football to pull upset of #12 SMU The UVA Football program is one win away from going bowling for the first time since the 2019 Orange Bowl. #12 SMU is one win away from a berth in the ACC Champion...
President-elect Donald Trump isn’t done raiding Fox News for his Cabinet, which is what we expected from the failed TV game show host elected to a second term in the White House. It’s not quite the end of the world as we know it, but apologies if it feels like it sometimes. On this week’s politics podcast, we dive head-first into: Donald Trump might have to give up on his first Attorney General nominee, Matt Gaetz , who we’re now learning as the new week starts reportedly participated in drug-fu...
Joey Logano was the big winner on Sunday at Phoenix, bringing home his third NASCAR Cup Series championship, a month after leaving the track at Charlotte thinking he had been eliminated from the 2024 playoff race. It was a remarkable turnaround for Logano, and an end to the 2024 NASCAR season that had begun nine long months ago in Daytona. Chris Graham and Rod Mullins recap Logano’s victory and the highlights of the 2024 season on this week’s podcast. Also on this week’s show: How will 23XI Raci...
The road to “Full Gear” continued last night when AEW made its debut in Manchester, New Hampshire, at the Southern New Hampshire University Arena for Wednesday Night “Dynamite.” Last night, wrestling fans relived the “Wednesday Night Wars.” WWE’s “NXT” aired head-to-head against “Dynamite,” on The CW Network from the famed 2300 Arena, invoking shades of ECW. Tony Khan needed to swing for the fences to compete with “NXT” in the ratings. Thankfully, he hit a homerun....
