A memorable PGA Championship is in the books and Phil Mickelson is the oldest major champion in history. The Kiawah Island Ocean Course was a perfect setting for golf expressed as an art form, finding the spiritual balance between mental grind and physical demand. The tournament, the sport, and Phil's journey are perfectly summarized by the words of Zora Neale Hurston: "there are years that ask questions and years that answer."
May 25, 2021•29 min•Ep. 22
The Utah Jazz lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the opening game of the NBA playoffs, 112-109. For Utah, the refinement process begins as old familiar playoff questions pop up. What does it mean for this team to have homecourt advantage, especially in a Covid year? What does it mean to structure your offense around the 3-point shot? What is the difference between Rudy Gobert's defense in the regular season vs the playoffs? And what is going on with Donovan Mitchell?
May 24, 2021•33 min•Ep. 21
Every sport presents challenges both physical and mental, and e very athlete is continually searching for the perfect blend of body and mind. Whether you're an amateur golfer or professional hockey player like Auston Matthews, the process of refining your physical tools and mental abilities is constant. And when blended at the highest level, it's awe-inspiring.
May 21, 2021•31 min•Ep. 20
Conventional wisdom of the NBA Playoffs says defense wins championships and last night's Warriors-Lakers battle was a good reminder. However, the league is playing offense at a higher level than ever before: this season alone, seven different teams set an all-time record for offensive efficiency per 100 possessions. Leading the charge is the Brooklyn Nets, a combination of isolation scoring the league has never seen. A question looms: will this offensive explosion carry over into the playoffs, o...
May 20, 2021•38 min•Ep. 19
Lebron James and Steph Curry square off tonight in a much anticipated play-in game. They are two of the brightest stars of all-time. There hasn't been an NBA Finals without at least one of them since 2010. Curry, the ultimate agent of chaos, is coming off his greatest offensive season. Lebron is coming off a long injury layoff and attempting to morph into Playoff Lebron. What will happen?
May 19, 2021•23 min•Ep. 18
In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down federal controls on sports gambling and turned the decision over to each individual state. Since then, 22 states have legalized sports gambling with 5 soon to follow. Utah is dragging its feet because on a governmental level, the state has a strange relationship with perceived vices and what is (or is not) acceptable.
May 18, 2021•32 min•Ep. 17
Every sport is in a constant state of change, attempting to strike a balance between the soulful nostalgia of the past and the bright-eyed optimism of the future. In a week where the NHL/NBA playoffs are hitting their stride and the PGA Championship is taking place, Major League Baseball is quietly slipping to the back burner. Is it impossible for baseball to find middle ground between the past and future?
May 17, 2021•33 min•Ep. 16
There is plenty of warped analysis when it comes to postseason success, or lack thereof. What does it mean when a player misses the playoffs? Why do we hold postseason losses against a player, especially if they happen in the Finals? How can opinions change drastically over the course of years for a player who is performing at the same level? All of these questions are examined through the careers of Jordan, Lebron, Brees, Manning, Rodgers, Zion, Shaq, Barkley, and Devin Booker.
May 14, 2021•29 min•Ep. 14
At their best, sports are the blend of known and unknown, measurable and unmeasurable, the tug-of-war between analytics and gut instinct. Even experts have different opinions on what information matters and how to interpret it.
May 13, 2021•28 min•Ep. 13
The Utah Jazz have never won an NBA championship. This season, the Jazz have their best team in over two decades, begging a simple yet complex question: is this the year Utah's hopes and dreams of a championship are realized?
May 12, 2021•34 min•Ep. 12
Every fan hopes this is the year their team wins the championship. It's the great lure of sports, because hope realized offers a sense of fullness and awe that very few things do. The Stanley Cup playoffs begin soon and this means, especially for fans of a team like the Colorado Avalanche, it's time to hope.
May 11, 2021•27 min•Ep. 11
Both Steph Curry and Connor McDavid are having transcendent offensive seasons. Both are interesting case studies in how we celebrate and judge individual success, especially when team success doesn't follow.
May 10, 2021•33 min•Ep. 10
The NBA play-in format is generating buzz, increasing competition, and creating spectacular theater. Why aren't more professional sports leagues experimenting with the process of trial and error, and finding a balance between what is most scintillating for the consumer and what is most equitable in determining a champion?
May 07, 2021•29 min•Ep. 9
Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to play for the Green Bay Packers. The Green Bay Packers want Aaron Rodgers to play for them, but have shown no sense of urgency in maximizing his championship window. It seems like the end is near, which means it's also time to reflect on a quarterback whose team demanded him to be perfect in order to win.
May 06, 2021•57 min•Ep. 8
The game of ice hockey is a beautiful sport built upon speed, skill, physicality, and violence. To some extent, the history of hockey is a history of violence and because of this, the NHL is continually facing a very hard question without clear answers: what is the acceptable level of violence in a sport that has always celebrated it in the past?
May 05, 2021•37 min•Ep. 7
Nikola Jokic is a -500 favorite to win the MVP, one of the most unique players in basketball, and is being celebrated for his accomplishments. From a roster construction standpoint, Jokic and the Nuggets are mirror images of the Utah Jazz, a small market team featuring a unique player of their own in Rudy Gobert. As we examine both teams and players, how do we refuse the old means of measurement?
May 04, 2021•23 min•Ep. 6
The Phoenix Suns are currently the #1 seed in the NBA, yet lack the playoff experience many believe is a prerequisite for winning a championship. Chris examines the idea of being baptized by fire, the fine line between "taking your lumps" and becoming a "playoff loser," and the notable playoff failures of MJ and Lebron.
May 03, 2021•28 min•Ep. 5
The first round of the NFL Draft is complete. Teams are drafting more quarterbacks in the top 10 than ever before and less running backs, engaging with the idea that the easiest way to create hope for an NFL franchise is to draft a first round quarterback.
Apr 30, 2021•30 min•Ep. 4
The NBA and NHL playoffs are quickly approaching, gambling is being embraced by professional sports leagues as both a revenue stream and a way to strengthen emotional bonds, and the lure of believing your team is destined to win a championship.
Apr 29, 2021•38 min•Ep. 3
What does college football mean to each individual? As College Football Playoff expansion looms, Chris explains his nostalgic connection to the sport ("A twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone") and reminisces on The Way Things Were.
Apr 28, 2021•25 min•Ep. 2
The Jazz lost a heartbreaker to Minnesota and Georges Niang, the minivan himself, bled all over the basketball. Chris examines both the metaphorical and literal bleeding of the Jazz, and segues into a larger conversation about MVP candidates, Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and how fans tend to legitimize players and teams retroactively.
Apr 27, 2021•19 min•Ep. 1
