Today’s word of the day is ‘housing’ as in not the housing bubble or the housing crisis, but the Houston Astros are offering furnished housing to all of their minor league players. This is a major announcement. Life as a minor league player is not great. (12:00) The New York Yankees outbreak has now made national and international news. The government is now involved. The coaching staff got the Johnson & Johnson vaccines and they are still getting COVID. Let’s explain some of these issues. (17:47) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me what I think will happen with Miguel Cabrera. He just made history on Wednesday night collecting the most hits by a Venezuelan-born player. He’s at the backend of his career and the Tigers stink. (26:30) Review: Transhood (30:22) Houston Rockets owner Tillman Fertitta is back in the news because he said he’s excited about losing. Excuse me? Sir… are you okay? (35:33) NPPOD (37:32) Teddy Bridgewater was traded to the Denver Broncos in the offseason and he’s already making headlines. He had some comments about the Carolina Panthers practices and he had some things to say on All Things Covered with Bryant McFadden and Patrick Peterson. Matt Rhule decided to respond.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’viva Las Vegas’ as in Elvis Presley as in the Oakland Athletics need a new ballpark and could be moving to Las Vegas… or could they? Word broke yesterday that the Athletics were given permission to seek a relocation. This is major news and Oakland could be losing its third major sports franchise in the past two years. What’s going on? (14:33) Drew Robinson homered last night in AAA! What a story! If you haven’t seen Alive: The Drew Robinson Story you need to see it. (17:28) Bob Baffert blamed everything on cancel culture. Bob Baffert blamed everything on pee on hay that his horse ate. Well, Bob Baffert has now released a statement saying, “oops, my horse did use a ban ointment.” GIVE ME A BREAK! (25:56) Review: Blue Chips (33:16) NPPOD - Why is Joe Maddon so happy about Shohei Ohtani? The team is in last place! Who cares how good Ohtani and Trout are if they can’t win! (38:20) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Covid is going crazy in MLB right now. Uh oh. Fernando Tatis Jr is out after testing positive. The Yankees have coaches out after testing positive. Uh oh. (44:08) Is Alex Rodriguez already out on buying the Minnesota Timberwolves? What’s happening here? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘triple double’ as in Russell Westbrook as in the new king of the triple-double as in Westbrook broke Oscar Robertson’s all-time record for triple-doubles. Does this make Westbrook an all-time great? (7:47) The Seattle Mariners are ready to call up Jared Kelenic. Why now? (14:00) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me if I ever had a player who played for me that would only stay if another player stayed. What!? Let’s see what Davante Adams has to say about a situation like this. (23:22) Review: Walk The Line. (27:20) The Golden Globes are doomed. It’s over. See ya. NBC has pulled the plug… why? (32:52) NPPOD (37:35) Tim Tebow signed a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. What is Urban Meyer trying to prove? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘raccoon’ or is it rat or is it ratcoon? The New York Mets were in a bit of an awkward place on Friday night when camera caught commotion going on in the Mets dugout. After the game Francisco Lindor said he and Jeff McNeil were arguing about whether there was a rat or a raccoon running around the clubhouse. Interesting story to tell. (11:38) Jacob deGrom returned to pitch on Saturday after missing his last start with a lat issue. And you guessed it… he left the game with a lat issue. Did the Mets rush him back? (12:45) What is going on with the Los Angeles Dodgers? The team of destiny was 13-2 and now… they can’t seem to win games. After dropping 15 of the last 20 games, and losing five straight series, is it too late to say it’s still early? (20:52) Review: Sons of Sam. (26:54) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me for my thoughts on Bob Baffert and the Kentucky Derby. Who is Bob Baffert? He’s a horse trainer and his Kentucky Derby winning horse tested positive for PEDs! (36:42) NPPOD. (39:00) Zion Williamson is out the rest of the year with a fractured finger. President David Griffin was fined $50K for public criticism of the referees because Zion isn’t getting calls.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘hollywood’ as in a Hollywood ending as in Albert Pujols has been designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols is in the final year of a 10-year, $240M deal — the timing of this designation was out of nowhere. Let’s try and talk through this situation, his comments, his legacy in LA, and how the Angels chose to let this end. (16:00) Bonus story: What happened with AJ Burnett in September of 2005? (19:57) Bills GM Brandon Beane says he would cut a player if they didn’t get vaccinated. Whoa. It’s rare for a team executive to be that open about such a hot button topic. (32:53) Review: Every Breath You Take. (36:00) NPPOD. (39:27) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about the Arizona of Governor Doug Ducey passing a new tax bill. What does this all mean? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘slapshot’ as in we’re talking hockey as in the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals have turned MSG upside down. We had three fights to start the game, we had penalties, we had Tom Wilson fighting and leaving the game, we had James Dolan firing his team president and general manager. What in the world!? (12:02) We spoke the other day about Tony La Russa and some of the struggles he’s had with the Chicago White Sox this season. Well, yesterday, another blunder by La Russa cost the team the game. (20:20) What are the Green Bay Packers doing? Are they planning to move on from Aaron Rodgers right now? There is a lot going on. (26:26) Review: Frank of Ireland. (30:43) NPPOD. (32:30) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me if I was president of the Denver Broncos would I pay Ja’Wuan James after he tore his achilles working out away from the team facility. Uh oh. (40:50) Kyrie Irving won’t meet the media. The Nets have been fined. Why is this still happening? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘MRI’ as in Jacob deGrom had to get one yesterday and the panic button was smashed by the Mets. deGrom was supposed to start on Tuesday night, but was scratched late with a lat issue. Let me break down what happens in these situations — from the call to the decision to scratch to the MRI to now. (13:31) Yesterday we spoke about the Mets firing hitting coaches. Today we talk about the hitters talking about the hitting coaches being fired. That’s what happens in a rain delay. Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor didn’t sound happy about the move. (30:58) Review: Like Father (35:47) The New York Rangers are furious. They released one of the strongest statements ever condemning Tom Wilson and the NHL. This needs to be discussed.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘play in’ as in play-in games as in the NBA decided last season it would have a small play-in tournament to figure out the final spots in the playoffs. Now this season it’s back and LeBron James is not happy. Who voted on these games? Did they just come out of nowhere? LeBron knows better. (8:48) The New York Mets have fired their hitting coaches 23 games into the season. Steve Cohen is feeling the new-owner-itis right now. (22:05) Days before the minor-league camp was set to open the Philadelphia Phillies did something that is rather unusual. The team removed its director of pitching development and promoted a coach with only one year of experience. Why would the team do this? (32:21) Review: 7 Yards. (38:10) NPPOD. (41:13) The Los Angeles Dodgers went from best team ever to struggling to now plagued by injuries. Dustin May needs Tommy John surgery. What about the Chicago White Sox? Luis Robert is out for a long time with a hip injury. The Sox were supposed to be the best team in the AL.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘love’ as in love is in the air as in Aaron Rodgers had his heart broken by the Green Bay Packers. Right before the 2021 NFL Draft news broke that Rodgers and the Packers may be headed to an ugly divorce. The team wants to start planning for Jordan Love’s future and Rodgers wants out.(11:20) MLB has always wanted to be like the NFL. Jealous, jealous, jealous! The NFL Draft is so much more than what MLB has to offer. (15:11) What is going on with MLB umpires this year? Instant replay decisions going poorly. Umping going poorly. Fans are mad. Players are mad. Teams are mad. What can MLB do? (23:42) Review: The Courier. (26:33) April showers bring May something, something, something. The MLB standings look pretty crazy at the end of April. The Royals are in 1st, the Yankees are under-500, the NL East is sloppy, the Dodgers can’t win anymore. Where are we right now? (36:39) NPPOD. (37:42) MLB has banned Roberto Alomar for life. This comes after an investigation into some bad sexual misconduct. Will MLB stop here? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mailbag! It’s a mailbag! It’s the end of April 2021 mailbag! We’re a quarter of the way through 2021 already! Someone asked about Opening Day starters - they wanted to know why #1 starters were matched up against #1 starters! Why not just throw your #3 agains their #1 so you can pitch your #1 against their #2. (5:50) Should MLB be run like the EPL? Have a regular season winner and an FA Cup style tournament with Minor League Baseball teams. (9:20) Does old-school baseball work? The Boston Red Sox are trying it now and it’s working out so far. (14:05) MLB slippery slope after moving All-Star Game. Will the league take a stand on transgender rights? (22:00) Someone asked me about the Bobby Bonilla deal and what it meant from the team side of things. Was it a good deal for the team outside the jokes? (31:20) Someone asked me about workplace policies - specifically about attending out-of-work events. (36:40) Someone asked who the five most important people in Marlins history. This came from Jeannie Buss answering a question about the five most important Lakers in franchise history. (43:18) Someone wants to know what’s going on with the PGA bonus structure. Where did this come from and why this is happening?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a Samson Sit-Down with Joel Corry. He was a former sports agent in the NBA and NFL. He’s represented Shaq and Ronnie Lott. He’s an NFL cap expert. We discuss everything from agent poaching, NFL salaries, differences between NFL and MLB contracts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a Samson Sit-Down with Pudge Rodriguez! The Hall of Fame catcher stops by to discuss his life in baseball (4:05) Relationship with Johnny Bench. (7:23) What did Pudge do when pitchers got on his nerves? (13:05) Favorite pitcher to catch (16:43) Choosing the Marlins in 2003. (21:47) How a trip to Vegas saved the 2003 Marlins season (28:48) Favorite play from 2003 World Series run.(35:41) How early did Pudge know that Miguel Cabrera was great (39:35) Thoughts on today’s game of baseball. (46:33) How the modern MLB salaries are given Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘mutual’ as in agreed upon by parties as in the Colorado Rockies GM Jeff Birdich was fired… sorry, no, he mutually agreed to stepped down. Why now? Why only a quarter of the way through the season? (11:10) Shohei Ohtani is a unicorn. He can pitch. He can hit. How are the Los Angeles Angels doing? What does a new Ohtani contract look like? (25:38) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked why Steve Cohen wants to buy SNY so badly. (36:26) Review: Stowaway. (39:27) Arsenal is not for sale, but it is for sale, but it not for sale, but it is? Spotify CEO Daniel Elk wants to buy the team. Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke says the the team is not for sale.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘peek-a-boo’ as in I see you! Do you see me? Trevor Bauer made headlines this offseason with the closing one eye and pitching this spring. Well, Fernando Tatis Jr. has had enough and hit two home runs off Bauer. He swagged it out with a Billy Strut after touching home plate and covering his eye while rounding the first. Let’s talk about this ‘rivalry’ with the Padres now up 4-3 on the season series. (12:15) Madison Bumgarner threw a no-hitter yesterday. Or did he? Should a 7-inning no-hitter be considered a no-hitter with the new double-header rule? (21:44) The Angels and Yankees had ‘brief flirtation’ regarding Aaron Judge this offseason. What does this mean? (29:21) Oscars Recap. (41:28) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘69’ as in get your head out of the gutter as in the NFL has a new uniform policy and Tom Brady is not happy. It’s a jersey number Tom! Calm it down! Let’s talk about jerseys. (11:45) Alex Smith had some not too kind things to say about the Washington Football Team. He called out the training staff for the way they handled him and his rehab. (18:31) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? The IOC announced that Olympic athletes at this year’s Tokyo Games will not be allowed to protest or make political statements. What? (34:30) 2021 Oscar Predictions. (41:26) NPPOD.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘accountability’ as in responsibility as in LeBron James sent out a tweet and Instagram post he didn’t realize he shouldn’t have sent. His platform is too big. He is too smart. This stemmed from another police related shooting in Ohio. What should happen now? LeBron deleted the post, but the damage was done. (10:26) Someone asked me to share my thoughts on the NHL saying they’d loosen up COVID restrictions after players got vaccinated…. And the NHL did not follow through with these promises. (24:28) Is the sophomore slump real? It looks like it for Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat. Has he become too Miami? Too South Beach? (35:07) Review: Spontaneous. (37:25) NPPOD. (43:46) Eagles playing Rock, Paper, Scissors against draft prospects? What!? There’s no way this is serious…. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘mayday’ as in it’s going down as in it’s over with as in the Super League is no more. What an absolute disaster. Chelsea gone. Man City gone. Tottenham gone. Juventus gone. Arsenal gone. AC Milan gone. Man United gone. Liverpool gone. Who is left? How did this go so wrong? (12:51) Let’s discuss the Derek Chauvin trial. Let me help explain the details of this ruling and what happens next. He was charged with three crimes in the killing of George Floyd. (28:55) Review: Billie Eilish - The World’s A Little Blurry. (32:14) NPPOD. (33:55) MLB and MLBPA have start to negotiate the new CBA talks. What does this mean? Work stoppage!? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘mamba’ as in Kobe Bryant as in Vanessa Bryant as in Nike. Why is this back in the news? Because Kobe Bryant’s deal with Nike is done after Nike could not come to terms with Vanessa and the Bryant estate. Kobe died in January 2020 with one year remaining on his Nike deal. What happens now? Nike paused all production of Kobe apparel… will a new deal get worked out? (9:50) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me how serious the Super League concept is. Let’s discuss. (25:19) Review: Songbird (29:53) NPPOD. (34:25) Let’s update you on the Deshaun Watson saga. Where are we now? (42:52) The jury has been sequestered in the Derek Chauvin case. Let me explain this for people who don’t understand.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘Super League’ as in the soccer world has been turn upside down! A mutiny! The rich! 12 of the biggest football world have decided to ditch their domestic leagues and start a new league. Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona! UEFA is mad. Fans are mad. Everyone is mad. Snakes in the grass. Billions in the bank! (14:37) Dwyane Wade becomes a part owner of the…Utah Jazz? What? Dade County… Mr. Heat… with the Jazz!? How did Micky Arison let this happen? (26:33) NPPOD - David knows nothing about the rules of gambling. (29:38) Review: Nobody (33:21) The New York Yankees are awful. Downright bad. What is happening? (39:07) Wait to see. (43:00) The Washington Nationals are having big problems. Stephen Strasburg is hurt. Always hurt. Uh oh.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘toxic’ as in a toxic work culture as in Mickey Callaway wasn’t the only person within the New York Mets organization. It’s all bad. Sandy Alderson knew about how bad things were. Ownership know how bad things were. What happens now? (13:36) Daniel Snyder, owner of the WFT, is suing Bruce Allen. Never seen something like this before. Snyder thinks Allen was the head of the leaks department. What about the name choices? The team is still looking for a team name and a survey was sent to fans. What does all this mean? (24:33) Review: Live-action Oscar nominated short films. (32:23) Patrick Corbin is bad. Very bad. NPPOD. (41:28) Fernando Tatis Jr is expected to play Friday night. He’s dealing with a long-term shoulder injury that will need surgery. What’s the rush to get him back? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘HBP’ as in hit by pitch as in Carlos Rodón was 2 outs away from a perfect game and a pitch hit Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez in the foot. He kept his composure and got the final two outs to seal the no-hitter. So let’s talk about the play, what happens during a no-hitter, what teams plan, what managers do… everything no-hitter. (8:41) Let’s talk about the death of Bernie Madoff and the impact he made on the Mets, charities, regular people, and the destruction he caused. (14:49) Let’s talk about charity. How do some players fund team foundations? What’s in a contract to do that? (24:09) Review: Cherry. (27:13) The Atlantic League is testing out new rules. Pitching rubber will be at 61 feet 6 inches. You want to take out your pitcher? You’re going to lose the DH. What? (34:06) NPPOD. (41:45) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me if I was team president again would I sign Yasiel Puig…. No. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘no regrets’ as in Mark Cuban as in the owner of the Dallas Mavericks realized he made a big uh oh too late. Players are not happy with the new play-in tournament in the NBA Playoffs. (11:40) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about antitrust, the Sherman Act, the Republican effort to do away with this because of the All-Star Game being moved. Can the Minnesota Timberwolves move? Are the NBA rules the same as MLB? (26:12) NPPOD. (32:06) Review: Godzilla vs Kong. (35:56) Buffalo Bills fans will need to be vaccinated if they want to go to games. People are not happy. People are happy. Let’s discuss. (42:15) The Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers players will not attend OTAs… Why is this news? Why do we need a statement?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘taser’ as in here we go again. Another young African-American was shot and killed by police. This officer thought they were using a taser… unbelievable. So the sports world in Minnesota stopped again. The Twins, Timberwolves, and Wild all postponed games last night. What goes into these decisions? (10:57) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me what I would say to players who didn’t play last night. (21:26) Review: Girl In The Basement. (28:15) Sam Darnold met the media in Carolina for the first time since being traded by the New York Jets. (35:17) NPPOD. (40:08) What are the plans for the Chicago Cubs? Are they ready to sell Baez, Bryant, and Rizzo? The team currently has the worst batting average in baseball.  0:00 - Intro 0:10 - Minnesota sports on pause 10:57 - Players not wanting to play 19:26 - Girl In The Basement 26:15 - Darnold meets the media 33:17 - NNPOD 38:08 - Do Cubs become sellers? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘icon’ as in Hideki Matsuyama is the new Masters champion as in never having to buy your own beer again at a bar. But what’s it like to be an icon in Japan? Matsuyama is about to find out. Spending time with Ichiro in Japan was an experience I will never forget. (10:00) What in the world happened in the Phillies-Braves game last night? We spoke about how poor replay was last week — and it gets even worse. Alec Bohn was out on a play at the plate, but the umps called him safe, after review everyone in the world saw he was out, but he was called safe. Phillies win 7-6 and the world explodes. (17:46) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Alex Rodriguez has entered into an exclusive period to buy the Minnesota Timberwolves. Remember when he was going to buy the Mets? Remember when he was joining a SPAC? (31:53) Review: Weed The People. (37:49) More MLB drama! Mets/Marlins had a a rain delay after 7 minutes of gameplay. It was complete BS and both sides were mad. How did this happen? (43:40) Jacob deGrom needs run support. He is the best pitcher in baseball and his team doesn’t win. How long can this go on? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘B Squared’ as in Bauer’s balls as in Trevor Bauer is having his baseballs inspected by MLB. Why is this? Well the umpires saw what looked like markings on the baseballs and sent them to the league office. Bauer and his agent went on Twitter last night and called it all “gossip”. What will happen here? (12:00) More and more gun tragedies are taking place. One of the latest was former NFL player Phillip Adams who murdered five people, including two children. We need to have this discussion. (23:43) Review: The Life Ahead (26:53) Did you see the end of the Mets/Marlins game? The Mets won on a walk-off HBP! Excuse me? Michael Conforto got hit with the bases loaded and then all hell broke loose. (39:27) NPPOD. (41:24)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘nightmare’ as in it all feels like a dream after you make it through spring training but then the first week of Opening Day comes and goes and your team is hurt, and losing, and bad, and it’s a nightmare. What is happening with Aaron Judge and the Yankees? Aaron Boone said he’s sore and will get the day off. It’s kind of early for this. Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, George Springer, Fernando Tatis, Trevor Rosenthal… more and more injuries are happening. (11:43) What can you make of first week performances? We’ve got teams that are overachieving early and teams that are underachieving right now. (16:27) Did MLB change the baseballs? Are they dead? Are they live? Where do we stand on the issue? (18:29) NPPOD. (20:11) Tiger Woods is lucky to be alive. It wasn’t drug abuse. It wasn’t alcohol. His crash was caused by his reckless driving. (27:06) The Masters started today. Fred Ridley is the chairman of the Masters and he released a statement on the Georgia voting laws. (35:48) Review: Collective. (36:57) Hubert Davis was named head coach at North Carolina. What was so significant about this? He became the 3rd head coach in program history, but the first African-American. What he said was very telling.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘trash’ as in take out the trash as in trash cans as in the Houston Astros are being ridiculed so bad by opposing fans that Dusty Baker had to say something. Fans brought trash cans to the game! What can the Astros do about this? (12:53) Fernando Tatis Jr may miss the rest of the season. We haven’t learned anything new from his first MRI, but GM AJ Preller said it’s a non-surgical injury. You can beat he’ll need surgery because the Padres said he wouldn’t. (23:09) Review: WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn. (27:38) It’s time for another update on the Deshaun Watson case because a woman chose to come public and hold a press conference. Watson’s team then revealed that her attorney tried to get hush money before going public. Nike has announced they are suspending Watson. Oh boy. (41:00) Wait to see. (45:23) NPPOD. #waittosee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘All Star Game’ as in Atlanta as in Denver as in MLB as in Texas as in what is happening right now in Rob Manfred’s office is not pretty. What happened? Why was the game moved? How was the game moved to Coors? What happens next? (23:55) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me if the Padres regret giving Fernando Tatis Jr that mega deal with his shoulder injury. Why would someone ask that? Because Tatis left with a shoulder injury and he might need surgery. This was an injury the team knew about. Uh oh. (33:25) Review: Concrete Cowboy. (35:49) Steve Cohen continues to talk and talk and talk. He got his first taste of being Mets owner and he is struggling with the NY media. (42:00) NPPOD. BRACKET WINNERS ANNOUNCED - REACH OUT TO COCA! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘calm’ as in everybody calm down as in take a breath as in yesterday was just one game of 162 of them. The Houston Astros played in front of fans and the Oakland fans let them hear it. Boos on boos on boos! Remember the sign-stealing dilemma? Feels like a decade ago. (7:30) Why are pitchers still batting? Why is there no Universal DH? We saw how ridiculous things were when Tyler Glasnow batted for Tampa Bay. (15:00) NPPOD. (18:30) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about the Supreme Court hearing the NCAA v. Alston case and they wanted it to be explained like they weren’t a lawyer. (31:39) Review: Operation Varsity Blues. (36:10) Red Sox owner Tom Werner says that LeBron James is good for Boston, and good for business, but there was something he said that I couldn’t believe.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘Opening Day’ as in April 1st as in baseball is back! Last night the New York Mets were able to come to an agreement with superstar Francisco Lindor on a major 10-yr, $341M deal. What else can we look forward to today? What matters most on Opening Day? (9:32) The Washington Nationals already have a COVID problem. It appears that four players will miss Opening Day against the Mets. Not great! (13:21) President Biden spoke to ESPN last night about vaccines, stadium capacity, and spoke about the All Star Game in Georgia. (15:40) The NL West has all the eyeballs this season. The San Diego Padres won the offseason. The Los Angeles Dodgers are looking to repeat. Trevor Bauer is getting his balls ready (his baseballs you sickos!). (25:50) NPPOD. (30:42) Review: The Father. (33:40) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about he Miami Marlins have announced that they have a new TV deal and a naming rights deal and why wasn’t I able to secure a naming rights deal when I was there Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The New York Mets and Francisco Lindor have agreed to terms on a massive 10-year, $341M deal on the eve of Opening Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘17 Again’ as in Zac Efron and Matthew Perry as in the NFL has announced there will be 17 regular season games starting this year. The NFL knew they were going to get this done when those giant TV deals were signed. Is everyone happy about this? Did the NFLPA get enough for the players? (13:55) Deshaun Watson now has 19 lawsuits against him. This story is not going away anytime soon. We need to cover this. (31:00) Review: Seaspiracy. (36:40) MLB season is here! Let’s get some predictions! MVP! World Series! EVERYTHING! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘ravioli’ as in pasta as in a nice Italian dinner as in what Steve Cohen said he had during his meeting with Francisco Lindor. The Mets reportedly offered Lindor a 10-year, $325M and he countered with a 12-year, $385M. Where does this standoff end? (16:18) A very similar situation is happening with Anthony Rizzo and the Chicago Cubs. He wants a new deal. Kris Bryant needs a new deal. Javy Baez needs a new deal. And apparently Rizzo was offered a deal that he found laughable. Will any of the Cubs Big 3 be back in 2022? (25:34) MLB will relax COVID restrictions if 85% of Tier 1 employees get vaccinated. What does this exactly mean? (36:00) Review: Bad Trip. (40:11) NPPOD. (43:06) Mark Emmert is the president of the NCAA and he has some big issues to deal with. Athletes are taking a stand. Will he take the meeting they want? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mailbag! It’s a mailbag! March 2021 edition of the mailbag is here! Let’s get it started! Someone asked what the strangest clause I ever had to put in a contract to stop a player from doing something. (10:30) Someone asked if MLB could possibly move the 2021 All Star game from Atlanta, Georgia after everything that’s been going on in the state. A new voting rights bill was passed and people are not happy. (22:40) Someone asked how the 40-man roster works and who decides which players get DFA’d. (34:40) Someone asked for some other reasons that players would get traded at the deadline and who would influence these moves. (41:00) Someone asked for my Top 5 concerts I’ve been to… so I’ll give you a Top 8.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘left field’ as in not right field as in not center field as in the outfield as in Eloy Jimenez of the Chicago White Sox is out for what could be the whole season after tearing his pec making a play in a spring training game. Every White Sox fan knew this was inevitable, but management still put Eloy out there. What were the Sox trying to prove? (15:29) Kirby Yates is done for the year that hasn’t even started yet. He got $5.5M guaranteed by the Toronto Blue Jays AFTER the Atlanta Braves pulled an offer for a failed physical. Yates signs with the Jays and is now out for the season. Wow. (23:45) Review: Justice League Snyder Cut… yes I watched all four hours. (31:43) Did the Houston Astros just lowball and lose Carlos Correa? They might have. It was a six-year, $120M offer and Correa was offended. This is a MONSTER free agent offseason for shortstops. (40:50) NPPOD.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘substance’ as in foreign substance as in new MLB memo says every ball will be studied. MLB says they will have ball monitors and dugout monitors and substance monitors and every monitor you can think of to make sure pitchers aren’t doctoring the balls. How is this going to work? What is MLB trying to figure out? (13:22) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about the NHL firing an official after he was caught on a hot mic saying he wanted to give a penalty to Nashville. (22:26) NPPOD. (25:25) What happens during a trade deadline? How do athletes ask teams about trades? What do they do on deadline day? (35:10) Review: The Last Blockbuster. (39:15) The Washington Football team will be owned in full by Daniel Snyder. Reports say he’ll be in complete control and he’ll be able to buyout the minority owners. Not just that, but the team may keep this name moving forward because of ‘traditions’… always fun to discuss the WFT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘the police’ as in the band, not the law enforcement, as in MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE! Is that what’s happening in Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers? The Packers wanted Rodgers to restructure his deal, but Rodgers said he wanted provisions put in saying it wouldn’t be a ‘lame duck’ year. (8:50) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about the Marlins security guard who was banging trash cans as Astros Alex Bregman was at the plate. (20:05) Fernando Tatis Jr. left a game yesterday with a shoulder injury. It doesn’t appear to be serious, but Tatis said it’s something he’s been dealing with his whole career… oh boy. (25:52) Review: My Octopus Teacher. (29:32) Deshaun Watson situation is getting far crazier than we ever would have believed. There are now 16 lawsuits filed by Tony Buzbee against Watson, but Rusty Hardin (Watson’s attorney) has fired back. (41:20) NPPOD. (44:00) The Raptors are in trouble. Lost a bunch of games. Thinking of trading Lowry. Siakam yelled at Nick Nurse. The honeymoon is over… now what? #waittosee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘slice’ as in Kraft slice of American cheese as in pizza slice as in Kimbo Slice, but really as in Robert Kraft. The New England Patriots have signed every free agent available this offseason and Kraft opened up the checkbook. What made Bill Belichick and the Patriots go all in? (12:37) Salvador Perez was given a longterm deal from the Kansas City Royals. Not just any kind of deal. The largest deal in franchise history! $82M over four years. Why would they do this? (26:00) Spring Training is all about staying healthy. Major problems in Arizona as Zac Gallen felt some discomfort in his forearm… while hitting! Oh boy. (32:52) Review: Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar (37:20) NPPOD. (40:50) Nike pulls brand from “undifferentiated” retailers… say goodbye to the Mom and Pop stores. It’s a sad reality for these small businesses.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘madness’ as in march madness as in there is so much madness and everyone’s bracket is busted. Wisconsin, see ya. West Virginia, see ya. But the biggest story of the tournament is what happened to the women NCAA athletes during their tournament. Bad swag bags, terrible weight rooms, no respect. Compared to the men’s swag bags and weight rooms it looked like the NCAA just didn’t care. (13:30) Rick Pitino says he’s happy at Iona and won’t leave. I’m sure that’s the case. (19:12) Ohio State player releases message of the death threats he received online after team lost in tournament. Be better. Be way better. (29:48) Review: Another Round. (35:38) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone wanted to know about the Cubs minor leaguer getting caught with 21 pounds of meth. Do I have a story for you all. #waittosee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘#NotNCAAProperty” as in the hashtag being used by college basketball players during March Madness as in college players taking another stand against the NCAA. What will be different this time? Will these college athletes not play to really make a stand? (12:55) NPPOD. (15:18) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about the new NFL TV deals and what it means for the league. The deal will pay the league about $110B over 11 years…whoa. (30:25) Review: The Mole Agent. (33:38) Wait To See Updates. (39:30) Derek Jeter and the Miami Marlins have gotten rid of everything “Miami” that was at Marlins Park. No more fish tanks, no more pool, no more home run sculpture… now what? #waittosee  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘frivolous’ as in having sound basis as in lacks in serious as in a lawsuit was announced against Deshaun Watson by a Houston-based lawyer. No it’s not Groundhog Day… we’re back talking Deshaun Watson because even more lawsuits were made against Watson. Another woman in Atlanta has come forward saying Watson made inappropriate advances towards her. (7:00) Meyers Leonard was traded to no where. The Miami Heat traded him to the OKC Thunder and the Thunder announced he wouldn’t be joining the team. Is this the end for Leonard in the NBA? (14:30) 130 fans were ejected from viewing a college lacrosse game after some of them yelled racial slurs at players from the opposing team. Why? (23:52) Review: A Secret Love. (30:00) Are the Kansas City Royals going to put Bobby Witt Jr. on its Opening Day roster? Does he need to be there? Will he be there? (35:40) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about the Buffalo Sabres firing its head coach but still owing him $3.7M next. This person wanted to know when letting go of a coach who’s under contract, how much of a financial hit you take comes into play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘frivolous’ as in having sound basis as in lacks in serious as in a lawsuit was announced against Deshaun Watson by a Houston-based lawyer. The allegations allege that Watson sexually assaulted a masseuse and the lawsuit is asking for a six-figure settlement. Watson responded to the “baseless demand” and said he rejected the request. (15:40) LeBron James is now a part owner of the Boston Red Sox. He is a part owner of the Liverpool FC. He wants to one day own an NBA team. But let me explain this to you. (27:00) The Jacksonville Jaguars have spent over $1.4 BILLION in free agency since 2011… and they’ve lost nearly 75% of their games in that time. How can this be so bad? (36:17) Review: Secretary. (41:45) NPPOD. (43:04) Regular season baseball is almost here! Montoyo extended! Are the Blue Jays doing the right thing? Is extending the manager the right decision? #waittosee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘232’ as in the New England Patriots spent $232M in the first day of free agency. What? How? Why is the NFL and NBA free agency so much fun and MLB is so boring? Is Bill Belichick trying to make up for the fact that Tom Brady won a Super Bowl without him? (11:15) March Madness is here and Indiana is not in it. The Hoosiers have fired Archie Miller after four seasons. And we’ve got ourselves a statement! Miller’s buyout money will be paid by money raised from boosters! (22:13) Review: Allen v Farrow. (30:12) NPPOD. (32:15) Let’s talk about the gambling boom. Years ago is was a major red flag in the sports world. A major no-no! Now it’s being embraced! Why? REVENUE! (43:05) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me about the signing of Hirokazu Sawamura being signed by the Boston Red Sox. What are some differences between Japan and MLB? Let’s discuss.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Head to CBSSports.com/NPDSBrackets and join the NPDS group! I can't say anymore... but you're going to want to beat Coca. Today’s word of the day is ‘deja vu’ as in already seen as in wait, did this happen before as in talking about Trevor Bauer feels like it happens everyday. What happened now? Yu Darvish got a letter from MLB telling him to stop promoting his own company on his jersey. And who got the angriest about this? Trevor Bauer. He cannot help himself. The Los Angeles Dodgers have a real problem. (11:53) Giants and Cleveland agreed to play the bottom of the 9th in a spring training game. That is the story. The story is the umpires walked off the field… what!? (18:00) Is the NFL salary cap real? New Orleans Saints gifted Taysom Hill a new 4-year, $140M deal. He will not see any of that. Okay. (28:16) Review: 2021 Oscar Nominations. (36:10) NPPOD. (40:25) The worst statement of all time was released. A high school announcer named Matt Rowan blamed his diabetes for a racist outburst during an Oklahoma high school girl’s basketball tournament. Just an awful situation, made worse by what he said after the game. #waittosee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘50K’ as in $50,000 as in the fine for Meyers Leonard that the NBA handed down. Why was this the punishment? Adam Silver could only do this because of the CBA between the NBA and the NBPA. $50,000 was the maximum. Where do we go next?? (10:30) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me how you prepare for a season when you don’t know whether your star will show up. This is referring to Houston Texans new head coach David Culley saying he has no ‘contingency plan’ if Deshaun Watson doesn’t show. (18:40) SOCCER TALK! FUTBOL TALK! Frank McCourt was the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now he owns Marseille FC in Marseille, France. How big of a disaster is this? Oh, it is one of the biggest. (28:23) - Review: Dog Day Afternoon. (33:06) Patrick Ewing was back at MSG to coach the Georgetown Hoyas in the Big East tournament. He was not happy postgame saying that the Madison Square Garden security stopped him multiple times. (40:15) NPPOD. (42:30) Russell Wilson was not in a letter mentioned by the Seahawks to season ticket holders. Was this done purposefully? #waittosee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘525,600’ as in the amount of minutes in a year as in March 11, 2020 is when the world stopped. That was the day the NBA shut down and the sports were done for. The beginning of the covid crisis. Where are we now? The Texas Rangers are going 100% capacity at games this year. Texas is open for business. (10:34) Did the New York Mets really practice celebrating the World Series? Did this happen? Are we imaging things? (16:50) Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan addressed the Mickey Callaway situation in an internal email that was given to the media. Let’s discuss. (27:45) Review: United State vs Billie Holliday (32:26) Jerry Jones and Dak Prescott held a presser yesterday. Jerry Jones is the best quote in sports. Thank you, Jerry Jones. (38:10) NPPOD. (40:47) Julian Edelman writes an open letter to Meyers Leonard. Udonis Haslem responds to Meyers Leonard. Still waiting for Mickey Arison to say something… when will that be? #waittosee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘slur’ as in racial slur as in anti-semitic slur as in Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard was caught on a livestream saying an anti-semitic slur. Let’s talk about this situation, what followed, his response, the league’s response, and the Miami Heat’s response. (21:22) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me if I would have told my players and execs to stop live interviews given what is happening right now. (33:03) Review: Murder Among the Mormons. (36:00) NPPOD. (38:09) Did MLB change the baseballs again? Let me let you in on the not so little secret. But don’t tell Blake Snell.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘je le ferai’ as in I will do it as in Jerry Jones came to save the day. The Dallas Cowboys announced they have signed Dak Prescott to a long-term deal… thanks to Jerry Jones. And it’s a monster deal. He’ll get up to $164M over four years with $75 MILLION due in the first year! (13:10) When will Francisco Lindor get his long term deal? The New York Mets have begun talks with him, but still need to sign Michael Conforto. How will this work? (21:16) A report came out on revenue sharing in MLB yesterday. Let’s discuss what this report said and why it matters. (33:56) Review: I Care A Lot. (38:28) Kansas announced that head coach Les Miles has been fired. We told you that would happen on Friday. (43:10) So You Wanna Talk To Samson!? Someone asked me why Greg McDermott was only suspended one game and not fired. #waittosee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices