In another attempt to provide a small, non-virus-related distraction, city editor Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek address a number of topics from around the world of sports on this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. On what should have been Opening Day for Major League Baseball, the guys talk about the Olympics being postponed until next year, when sports might come back and what they will look like when they do and Cam Newton suddenly being without an NFL home. Plus, should the NFL push back the date of the draft? Why is Dr. Anthony Fauci talking with Steph Curry on Instagram? And what sort of impact is the virus having on the beer Corona?

Just Another Sports Podcast

No Olympics in 2020, Other sports musings

Going forward in this time of crisis, Just Another Sports Podcast will aim to provide a listening experience that allows people to escape, if only for a brief period, from the coronavirus and provide a distraction. That task proved to be impossible this week because reporter Heather Mongilio, who has been at the lead of the FNP’s coverage of the coronavirus, joins city editor Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek on the podcast primarily to lament Tom Brady leaving her beloved New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Heather, Greg and Allen talk about all of the NFL free agency news, which has provided a needed distraction in period of no sports. But the conversation, inevitably, turns to the virus and Heather uses her expertise on the subject to try and answer some of the most pressing questions. When might things start to get better? What is the best way to combat the virus? Will the upcoming warmer weather provide some relief?

NFL Free Agency, Virus Talk

*Editor’s note: Several hours after this episode was recorded news came down of the NBA season being suspended indefinitely. Now that the NCAA has barred fans from attending games for its men’s and women’s basketball tournament, the impact of the coronavirus is now being felt in a major way in the sports world. On this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast, sports editor Josh Smith and host Greg Swatek discuss this stunning decision and what else might be significantly impacted in this rapidly evolving story. What sort of impact might empty arenas have on NCAA tournament games? Will they lean more heavily toward the higher-seeded favorites since the underdog teams won’t be able to rely on the crowd to give them a boost? Plus, might the future of sports journalism be forever changed by the decision of major sports leagues to bar media from locker rooms in response to the virus? Might teams, athletes and coaches get comfortable without independently minded reporters milling around, looking for stories, and make the new policy more permanent? What sort of impact would that have on the way news is reported and stories are told?

Coronavirus fallout

What sort of impact might the coronavirus have on the world of sports? That’s the question FNP city editor Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek address on this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. Could the outbreak of the presently incurable virus prompt interruptions, postponements and, perhaps, even cancellations of major sporting events, such as the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, located not far from one of the epicenters of the illness? Just how disruptive might it get? Plus, Allen weighs in on whether his 49ers should pursue Tom Brady to be their quarterback. Why are the Knicks and Spike Lee at odds? And Steph Curry is back for the Golden State Warriors.

Coronavirus, NFL and NBA rumblings

What other event draws such widespread fascination yet is utterly inconsequential to its sport like the NFL Combine?Sports editor Josh Smith, city editor Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek discuss this unusual dynamic on this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast.The guys also touch on the marquee heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder and how boxing does a real disservice to its fans with the price of its pay per views, underwhelming cards and political infighting that leads to things like numerous heavyweight championships.Plus, why are signs being confiscated at Astros spring training games? How bad are the Wizards right now? And how amazing are Sports Illustrated writers that can produce masterful work while high on elephantine joints?

NFL Combine, Wilder-Fury

As the fallout continues from the Astros’ cheating scandal, what, if anything, can Major League Baseball do about it? FNP city editor Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek discuss that in-depth on this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. The guys talk about how badly Major League Baseball, namely Commissioner Rob Manfred, has managed this entire situation from the outset, not coming down hard enough on the team and the players with discipline and even having to apologize for calling the World Series trophy “a piece of metal.” Now MLB and its players association find themselves in an extremely unenviable spot with players and well-known figures in other sports saying that no enough was done to punish the Astros for cheating. Even players who don’t often speak out publicly like Mike Trout and Nick Markakis are sounding off about the Astros’ situation. Allen and Greg also share their affinity for the new format for the NBA All-Star game and All-Star weekend, in general. Plus, are 17 games and 14 playoff teams (seven per conference) a good thing for the NFL? What are the best events on the annual sports calendar? And why is Big Papi, David Ortiz, being thrown onto the Boat to Nowhere?

Astros Cheating Scandal, NBA All-Star Weekend

Following the Kansas City Chiefs victory over the San Francisco 49ers, how will Super Bowl 54 be remembered? That’s a topic sports editor Josh Smith, city editor and noted 49ers fan Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek dive into on this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. Did the better team win? Why did the 49ers seemingly move away from their strengths with a 10-point lead in the second half? Was Patrick Mahomes the deserving MVP after a below-par performance for much of the game by his lofty, best-in-the-game standards? What commercials caught the guys’ attention? And why is the halftime show drawing so much outrage and scrutiny? Plus, why is Bradley Beal not an NBA All-Star? Josh is dreaming of Richard Petty — for some reason — and missed deadlines. And does anyone care about this weekend’s launch of the XFL?

Super Bowl Reactions

Kobe Bryant's sudden and shocking death on Sunday cast a pall across the sports world, and the subject of the former Laker great takes over this week's Just Another Sports Podcast episode. Host Greg Swatek, sports editor Josh Smith and city editor Allen Etzler give their reactions and discuss why Bryant seemed to mean so much to so many people despite a background that wasn't exactly pristine. What were the guys' most lasting memories of Bryant's basketball skills? How did the news of his death in a helicopter crash affect them? Why has it been so difficult for people to process the loss of someone they didn't really know? What were some of the best Kobe stories that have been written or told this week? Also, Greg piles on the Wizards for their putrid defense so far this season, Josh tosses a tone-deaf college football coach on the boat for some ill-advised comments, and Allen hammers TMZ for releasing news of Bryant's death before the family had been notified and other media for some careless reporting during the hectic aftermath of the crash.

Remembering Kobe Bryant

With the Super Bowl now set, sports editor Josh Smith, city editor Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek dive into the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. Allen, a 49ers fan, is worried that Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense will have their way with his team. But Josh and Greg explain why the 49ers might be better equipped to handle Kansas City’s high-powered attack than just about any other team. The guys also weigh in on Major League Baseball allowing the Astros and Red Sox to keep their World Series titles and using robot umpires during spring training games, and whether some of the very best WNBA players could cut it in the NBA, as Kobe Bryant recently suggested. Plus, it’s time to throw a bunch of sports writers on the Boat to Nowhere, including one who was not yet ready to vote Derek Jeter into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Super Bowl, MLB and NBA Thoughts

The Ravens were upset in the NFL playoffs. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow authored a championship season for the ages. And Major League Baseball dropped the hammer on the Astros in the sign-stealing scandal, which led to multiple firings. Sports editor Josh Smith and host Greg Swatek discuss it all on this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. What happened to the Ravens? After winning 12 straight games and establishing themselves as the Super Bowl favorite, Lamar Jackson and company fell flat in a surprising loss to the Tennessee Titans. What contributed to the Ravens demise? And what does the loss portend, if anything, about the future of the team? Then, Josh and Greg share their affection for LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and why they both feel he will be a Super Bowl winning quarterback in the NFL, as well as their feelings on the firings of Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow, manager AJ Hinch and Red Sox manager Alex Cora for their role in Houston’s illegal sign stealing that played a role in the team’s recent success. In a culture where teams are looking to gain an edge at seemingly all costs, is cheating more prevalent than anyone realizes in MLB? Plus, what are the good and bad looks of the week? And Odell Beckman Jr. punches his long overdue ticket on the Boat to Nowhere.

NFL Playoffs, College Football Championship, MLB Cheating

With the divisional round of the NFL playoffs on tap this weekend, sports editor Josh Smith, city editor Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek dive into the matchups this week on Just Another Sports Podcast. What is the best game of the weekend? Can the Titans throw a scare into the Ravens? Josh is a Vikings fan and Allen is a 49ers fan. So, that matchup is discussed in detail, as well as who they would rather see their team face in the NFC Championship game, the Packers or Seahawks. The guys also touch on some of the coaching changes around the league. Who is the most overlooked candidate? And the futures of some of the older quarterbacks in the league, such as Tom Brady and Drew Brees, are discussed. What are the odds Brady has played his last game for New England?

NFL Playoffs

As 2019 comes to a close, what were the top sports stories of the year? That dominates the discussion on the latest episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. Was it the New England Patriots winning a record-tying sixth Super Bowl? Was it Tiger Woods returning to the pinnacle of golf with his victory at The Masters? Was it the U.S. women's national soccer team, which backed up its words with a dominating performance throughout the World Cup? Or was it Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors, who brought the Golden State Warriors dynasty to a close in the NBA Finals? FNP city editor Allen Etzler and host Greg Swatek comb through as extensive list of stories, with some being better than others as candidates for top stories of the year. The guys also touch on the Christmas and New Year's holidays and share hopes and well-wishes with 2020 about to begin.

Sports stories of the year

With the NFL playoff picture coming into clearer focus and the NBA proposing drastic changes to its regular season, there are no shortage of things to discuss on this week’s episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. FNP city editor Allen Etzler and sports writer Joe Ferraro join host Greg Swatek this week. The guys discuss the NFL playoff picture, particularly the depth of the NFC. While they wonder if anyone can seriously challenge the Ravens in the AFC, the NFC has three to four teams that all have legitimate hopes of winning the Super Bowl. The guys also talk about changes being proposed for the NBA regular season, including an in-season 30-team tournament that could pay the players of the winning team a million dollars apiece. Do any the proposed changes make sense? What are some of the changes not being discussed that the NBA could make to generate more interest in its regular season? Plus, is there any excitement for the college football bowl season? Did top prospect James Wiseman do the right thing by leaving Memphis to prepare for the NBA draft? And a lead sled dog gets his due.

NFL Playoffs, NBA changes

Can the Patriots be trusted on and off the field? Did the Nationals put their free-agent dollars behind the right player? Who can challenge the Ravens as the NFL playoffs draw nearer? Those are the main questions sports editor Josh Smith and host Greg Swatek address on the latest episode of Just Another Sports Podcast. The Patriots admitted to improperly filming the Cincinnati Bengals, their opponent this week, while compiling footage for a documentary on one of their advanced scouts for the team’s website. While Bill Belichick denied that he and the football side of the organization had anything to do with this, Josh and Greg are skeptical and explain why it’s so hard to take the legendary coach at his word on matters like this. The Nationals, meanwhile, resigned Stephen Strasburg to what was a record contract at the time for a pitcher (seven years, $245 million) and then lost All-Star third baseman Anthony Rendon to the Los Angeles Angels for a contract of identical length and value. Josh and Greg talk about why they would have chosen to sign Rendon over Strasburg, whether the Nationals really couldn’t afford signing both players, and whether pitchers deserve these types of contracts. Plus, can anyone in the AFC challenge the Ravens for a spot in the Super Bowl? What teams in the NFC can possibly beat them? And it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood for the Mr. Rogers movie.

Questioning the Patriots and Nationals

Are the Patriots really that good? Can anything stand in the way of a Ravens-49ers Super Bowl rematch? On this Thanksgiving week episode of Just Another Sports Podcast, sports editor and Greg Swatek share their takeaways as the NFL season heads down the stretch run. The episode features all of the usual fixings: Greg’s bad look, Josh’s good look, people being thrown onto the Boat to Nowhere and seen or to be seen. The guys share what they appreciate most about the Thanksgiving holiday. And you just never know who might be reading something you wrote.

NFL teams to beat, Thanksgiving

Join Greg Swatek, Josh Smith and Colin McGuire for a weekly discussion of all things sports — with some pop culture and other topics of interest sprinkled in — between three guys who don’t take themselves too seriously and are just as likely to make fun of themselves than someone or something else.

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Just Another Sports Podcast

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