Patience Is A Virtue…Mostly
How much patience is required to build a championship contender?
Jun 03, 2022•33 min•Ep. 168
The Chris Rawle Show
A thoughtful exploration of the world through the prism of sports.
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Episodes
Who Is Going To Step Up?
The most simple yet complex questions of the playoffs: who is going to step up? Sometimes it’s a role player like Gabe Davis or Robert Horry. Sometimes it’s a good player like Jimmy Butler ascending even higher. Right at the top are players like Lebron James, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar—stars who somehow become even more in the postseason.
May 31, 2022•36 min•Ep. 167
The Ghosts Of Playoffs Past
The playoffs are a time to prove things are different from the past. As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, the remaining teams pull upon the levers necessary for success: star performances, depth scoring, goaltending, and luck. Is the past applicable to the present?
May 27, 2022•43 min•Ep. 166
The Union Of Body & Mind
Professional sports are about finding the perfect equilibrium between body and mind. Certain athletes (Bryson DeChambeau, Tiger Woods, Sam Girard, Jordan Binnington) are currently fighting the physical component, while others (Rory Mcilroy, Mito Pereira) are battling the mental. What does it look like when body and mind come together?
May 24, 2022•42 min•Ep. 165
Gradually, Then Suddenly
To win a championship, a team must be willing and able to play in a variety of ways. What can be learned from the championship arcs of the Golden State Warriors and Tampa Bay Lightning?
May 20, 2022•51 min•Ep. 164
The Margins Of Game 7
Seven different Game 7s (Bruins-Hurricanes, Lightning-Maple Leafs, Kings-Oilers, Penguins-Rangers, Stars-Flames, Bucks-Celtics, Mavs-Suns) were played over last weekend. What separated the winners from losers?
May 17, 2022•33 min•Ep. 163
The Ascent Of Cale Makar
One of the most satisfactory aspects of fandom is following the arc of an athlete whose ceiling appears undefined. Over the last three seasons and change, Cale Makar has transformed into the best defenseman in hockey. What is his ceiling?
May 13, 2022•46 min•Ep. 163
Injuries & Referees
The playoffs are where legacies are defined. The playoffs are also where the margins are tiniest. In a strange way, the championship aspirations of many teams boil down to injuries and referees.
May 10, 2022•36 min•Ep. 162
What Is A Playoff Player?
There is nothing the sports world despises more than a star player with zero team championships to their name. What is the definition of a playoff player and who qualifies?
May 06, 2022•39 min•Ep. 161
You Never Know How Long A Championship Window Is Open
When things are going well, the future always seems to extend to infinity. But just as quickly as a championship window opens, it can shut. Ask the 2002 Kings. Or the 2012 Thunder. Or the 2021 Jazz. How much pressure is on teams like the Phoenix Suns and Colorado Avalanche to win the championship this year?
May 03, 2022•33 min•Ep. 160
When Does Promise Turn To Stagnation?
Every year, one of the most interesting parts of the playoffs to monitor is this: who has room to grow, how do we give that to them, and when do we truly understand what a player is? We have those answers for players like Lebron James and Russell Westbrook. But what about the growth curve of younger players like Ja Morant, Karl Anthony-Towns, Trae Young, and Donovan Mitchell?
Apr 29, 2022•40 min•Ep. 160
The Role Of Talent & Cohesion In The 2022 NBA Playoffs
For most, the world of professional basketball revolves around a simple team-building strategy: the accumulation of talent trumps everything. As we are seeing in the first round of the NBA playoffs, however, this is not always the case.
Apr 26, 2022•33 min•Ep. 159
How Much Can One Player Impact A Specific Side Of The Ball?
In a team sport, situation matters. As teams downshift in the playoffs to small-ball lineups—maximizing their mobility and versatility—individual defenders are stressed in different ways. What is fair to ask of any one player?
Apr 22, 2022•41 min•Ep. 158
You Cannot Measure Everything With Numbers
The playoffs are a pressure cooker. Some players are built to withstand adversity—others are not. Some possess an innate feel for what is required in each individual moment—others do not. The opening games of the playoffs provided plenty of examples, including Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, and the team defense of the Boston Celtics.
Apr 19, 2022•32 min•Ep. 157
The Regular Season & The Playoffs Are Not The Same Thing
What works in the regular season and what works in the playoffs are not always the same thing. How much versatility is required to win four playoff rounds?
Apr 15, 2022•37 min
The Riveting Nature Of Augusta National vs The Bland Experience Of The PGA Tour
The Masters and Augusta National are universally praised for creating the best possible golfing experience for players and fans alike. Why does the PGA Tour struggle to mimic their recipe?
Apr 12, 2022•35 min•Ep. 156
Rory, Tiger, & What We Want From Athletes
The Masters is in full swing and Tiger has returned to the world of golf. What are the differences in what we want in our own lives vs what we desire from athletes?
Apr 08, 2022•37 min•Ep. 155
Star Treatment In The NBA & NHL
A long, winding discussion about the NBA and NHL, and how neither can find the balance between protecting their star players without lying down for them.
Apr 05, 2022•38 min•Ep. 153
Should Team Success Be Factored Into Individual Awards?
The race for NBA MVP is boiling down to Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. How much should team success be factored into an individual award?
Apr 01, 2022•35 min•Ep. 152
A Story About College Football
This is a reading of “Falling Out The Other Side,” an essay written by Chris Rawle about becoming a college football fan early in life and sustaining that love into adulthood.The full text can be found here: https://www.chrisrawle.com/falling-out-the-other-side/
Mar 29, 2022•27 min•Ep. 151
The Grass Is Not Always Greener
Two star wide receivers will be playing the 2022 season on new teams, Davante Adams for the Raiders and Tyreek Hill for the Dolphins. From the perspective of both players and teams (GB/LV, KC/MIA), what was the motivation for these trades to occur?
Mar 25, 2022•42 min•Ep. 150
The NFL Arms Race Continues
NFL teams are moving heaven and earth to acquire quarterbacks and pass rushers. Blockbuster trades are happening multiple times per week. What are the lessons to be learned from the insanity of this free agent period?
Mar 22, 2022•33 min•Ep. 149
Entertainment Value
March Madness is upon us. The one-and-done format is both random and exhilarating, two things that bleed into other sports. What are the most entertaining aspects of the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, and college basketball, and why does college football’s current postseason format stick out like a sore thumb?
Mar 18, 2022•35 min•Ep. 148
Luck
Plenty of games, past and present, have been decided by simple luck. Why is this important to note and how does it shape discourse moving forward?
Mar 15, 2022•34 min•Ep. 147
Rodgers Returns To GB, Wilson Traded To Denver
The first two dominos of the NFL offseason have fallen: Aaron Rodgers has agreed to return to the Green Bay Packers, while Russell Wilson has been traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos. The arms race at the quarterback position continues…
Mar 11, 2022•31 min•Ep. 146
Respect Your Elders
The longevity that is on display across the sporting world—and especially the level these athletes are still playing at—is truly astounding. Look no further than John Stockton, Karl Malone, LeBron James, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Whitworth, and Alex Ovechkin.
Mar 08, 2022•32 min•Ep. 145
Chance, Luck, Evaluation
Chance, luck, and evaluation play enormous roles in shaping the direction of a franchise, as shown by the careers of players like Ja Morant, Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen.
Mar 04, 2022•37 min•Ep. 144
Pressure
Few things are more enjoyable to watch than a pressure-packed sporting event and understanding the stakes heightens the viewing experience immensely. As we reach the stretch run in three different sports (college basketball, NBA, NHL), who has the most pressure on them to win?
Mar 01, 2022•32 min•Ep. 143
The All-In Mindset
The past few years have been a boon for the championship-or-bust mindset, with teams like the LA Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Milwaukee Bucks winning championships by moving their chips to the center of the table. How many teams are willing to follow suit?
Feb 25, 2022•30 min•Ep. 142
College Football Anarchy
College football is all about anarchy, for good and bad. On the field the sport is magnetic: chess-level strategy requiring incredible speed and power, performed by athletic yet unpredictable teenagers. Off the field, however, college football is dumpster fire, characterized by the recent news that against the wishes of nearly everybody, the college football playoff won’t be expanding for at least another four years.
Feb 22, 2022•35 min•Ep. 141
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