Tradition's Finest Episode 133 - "The Hick from French Lick Episode"

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 133 - "The Hick from French Lick Episode" includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA College Basketball: The NCAA has initiated the final steps to expand the men's & women's college basketball tournaments to 76 teams, sources told ESPN Tuesday evening - - The expansion, which has been discussed for well over a year, is on track to be formalized in the upcoming weeks and would begin this coming season - - Sources indicated mid-May as a potential timeframe for an announcement, although there are still steps to take in terms of approvals via various NCAA committees - - Once the contracts are completed, the NCAA also would need approval from various committees, including the men's & women's basketball committees, the men's & women's basketball oversight committees, the Division I cabinet and the Division I board of governors - - The added finances would cover the additional logistics cost for both the men's & women's tournaments - - The primary driver of this expansion hasn't been money, but rather access for at-large bids for power conferences - the expansion has been pushed primarily by power conferences, which have grown throughout the course of the current deal - - The mechnics of the expansion in the men's tournament would include eight (8) additional at-large bids, and what's known now as the First Four, would include eight (8) teams playing four (4) games in Dayton, Ohio, would expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two sites, one of which was expected to remain in Dayton, and the location of the new site has yet to be determined - - The expansion would lead to an additional eight (8) men's games, meaning the Tuesday & Wednesday of the NCAA Tournament would features 24 of the 76 men's teams, that number now includes eight (8) teams who would have qualified for the traditional bracket that would sqaure off against the eight (8) at-large additions - - The traditional 64-team men's bracket would still begin on Thursday and look much of the same, with the major difference being that more teams would qualify as traditional "at-large" bids, that would have to play earlier than the 64-team bracket. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the NCAA initiating the final steps to expand the men's and women's basketball tournaments to 76 teams?. . .NCAA College Football: "A Sorsby Dilemma:"Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby will take an "immediate indefinite leave of absence" from the football program as he enters a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, the school announced Monday, as the NCAA is investigating Sorsby's gambling, industry sources told The Athletic - - Sorsby, a fifth-year senior, transferred to Texas Tech in January as one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal after two seasons at Cincinnati - - Following the news, Texas Tech has said that it is committed to supporting Sorsby through his recovery process, but there is no announced timetable for Sorsby's treatment or his return to the Red Raiders - - Industry sources confirmed an ESPN report that Sorsby bet on Indiana football in 2022 while he was a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers, as his gambling continued since then, according to sources, but the full extent is not yet clear - - Industry sources also informed The Athletic that Sorsby attended Cincinnati Reds' games on repeated occasions and placed live wagers on balls & strikes, with bets ranging anywhere from $2.50 to less than a $1 per pitch - and he placed a significant number of wagers in recent years - as the overwhelming majority were for smaller dollar amounts on various sports, including live bets on UFC matches, which is allowable under NCAA rules as long as the athlete is of legal betting age, primarily because the UFC is not a sport in which the NCAA hosts a sanctioned championship - - Sources who have reviewed the betting data told On3, dating back to 2022, he placed more than $20k wagers and at one point averaged 20 bets per day - - The NCAA is likely to permanently ban Sorsby, or for the QB to be deemed ineligible, pending their investigation - - According to updated NCAA sports betting guidelines passed in 2023, players who bet on games involving their own school face potential permanent loss of eligibility, which also applies if they engaged in activities to influence the outcome or knowingly provide insider information to people involved in sports betting, and also, last October, all three (3) NCAA divisions passed a rule change allowing players and staff to bet on pro sports, but the rule was rescinded a month later when more than two-thirds of Division I schools voted to rescind the change - - Sorsby only has one year of eligibility remaining, and so, if he returns to football but is ruled ineligible by the NCAA, he could choose to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, which typically takes place in July or August - as former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor was selected in the 2011 Supplemental Draft after facing suspension by the NCAA over the Ohio State tattoo/memorabilia scandal. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the news/story surrounding Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby? How do you anticipate this story playing out: will the NCAA allow him to return to Texas Tech for his final year of remaining eligibility? Or will he be deemed ineligible?. . . - NFL - - New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel and former sideline reporter Dianna Russini were "all over each other," at a secluded bar in New York City six (6) years ago before they were caught holding hands & hugging at an Arizona resort - as depicted in the exclusive new pics obtained by Page Six, the Patriots' coach and NFL reporter were spotted together inside the dimly lit Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of May 2020 - - They sat close to one another while conversing at the bar, and at one point, they appeared to share a kiss - - At the time the pictures were captured, Vrabel was working as the HC of the Tennessee Titans, while Russini was an NFL reporter at ESPN - - And just when you think this story couldn't get any stranger, some new information has come to light: Apparently, following a four-game skid back in 2022, when Vrabel was still the HC of the Titans, Russini made him a Spotify playlist titled "Turnin The Page," as the playlist was an attempt from Russini to help cheer up Vrabel in the midst of a tough stretch of football. . .Let's break it down, shall we?: We have Latto's "Big Energy" sandwiched between two Beyonce tracks, followed by the awful, bro-country anthem "House Party" by Sam Hunt, and a bunch of pop & electronic slip. . .Q: What are your thoughts surrounding the ongoing Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal?. . .The Minnesota Vikings traded Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, the teams announced last Friday night - - In return, the Vikings received a third-round pick in 2026 (No.98 overall pick) and another third-rounder in 2027, as the Vikings also sent the No.244 pick in this year's draft to the Eagles - - Greenard, who turns 29 in May, had been seeking a new contract along with a pay raise, and he landed such a deal with the Eagles, signing a four-year, $100 million deal, according to a league source, with $50 million guaranteed - - While the Vikings didn't necessarily want to move Greenard, this outcome provided the team with extra draft capital and more financial flexibility, as well as a runaway for third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner to continue to develop & ascend in the league - - In the aftermath of this move, the Vikings are likely to use at least one of their remaining premium draft picks on the defensive line or the edge rusher position. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles acquiring edge rusher Jonathan Greenard from the Vikings?. . .2026 NFL Draft Recap & Analysis: The 2026 NFL Draft wasn't short on excitement: QB Ty Simpson to the Rams midway through the first round? Big defensive additions for the Cowboys? A dynamic RB to the Cardinals? Two brothers going to the same secondary? Eight (8) trades on Day 1 and 41 across all three (3) days? - - That was fun!. .Now we take it all in and try to make sense of the picks: Which teams nailed their selections from start to finish, tackling needs, sticking to the board & actively getting better? Which teams found steals in some places but reached in others? And which teams made real head-scratching moves, missing big opportunities to get value or fill a hole on the roster? In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and analyze some of the most notable picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, provide their individual input regarding some of the most buzzworthy picks across the league: The 2026 NFL Draft began last Thursday in Pittsburgh with the Las Vegas Raiders making former Indiana QB ___________________ the No.1 overall pick - - The New York Jets selected former Texas Tech EDGE ___________________ with the No.2 overall pick - - The Arizona Cardinals selected former Notre Dame RB _____________________ with the No.3 overall pick, while the Tennessee Titans selected former Ohio State WR __________________ with the No.4 pick - - The New York Giants selected former Ohio State LB __________________, while the Kansas City Chiefs completed the trade to move up for the No.6 overall pick, for which they used on former LSU CB _______________________ - - The Washington Commanders selected former Ohio State LB _________________, while the New Orleans Saints selected former Arizona State WR _________________ with the No.8 pick - - The Cleveland Browns completed a trade to move up in the draft, selecting former Utah OT ___________________ with the No.9 overall pick, while the New York Giants via a trade with Cincinnati, selected former Miami OT _____________________**Be Sure to Tune in for The T.F. Podcast: 2026 NFL Draft Review. . . .At No.13, the Los Angeleds Rams shocked analysts and social media alike, by selecting former Alabama WR _________________, whose accuracy, poise & ability to move outside of the pocket will fit perfectly in HC Sean McVay's offense - - **NOTE: Following the Rams' pick at No.13, the University of Alabama has 51 first-round draft picks since 2009, meanwhile, the Rams became the first team to have a QB win MVP then select a QB in the first round of the subsequent NFL Draft since the Packers in 1967 (i.e., Bart Storr won MVP in 1966, and Green Bay drafted Don Horn No.25 overall the following year). . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Los Angeles Rams drafting QB Ty Simposon with the No.13 overall pick?. . .Quite possibly the most intriguing pick of this year's draft was the Atlanta Falcons with the No.48 overall pick: The Falcons selected former Clemson CB Avieon Terrell, the brother of star CB A.J. Terrell, a former first-round pick for Atlanta - - Saturday's four (4) rounds of draft concluded with the Denver Broncos making Red Murdock with No.257 pick, aka Mr. Irrelevant. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Ram's Ty Simpson the No.13 overall pick in this year's draft? What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Falcons pairing CB Avieon Terrell alongside his brother & Falcons' CB1 A.J. Terrell? Which teams would you categorized as "winners" and/or "losers" of the 2026 NFL Draft?. . . - NBA - - "Kia Most Improved Player:"Nickeil Alexander-Walker was named this season's Most Improved Player last Friday, marking the second straight Atlanta Hawks' player to win the award - - Alexander-Walker, the cousin of reigninig NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, averaged a career-high 20.8 points, 3.7 assists & 3.4 rebounds to go along with 1.3 steals per game - - He also averaged career highs in blocks, FG% and 3-point FG% - - The 6-foot-5 guard increased his scoring by 11.4 points and averaging 9.4 points coming off the bench for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2024-25 season, which is the third-highest increase from one season to the next over the past 25 years - - Alexander-Walker follows teammate Dyson Daniels, who won the award last season - - **NOTE: This is the first time in the award's history that two straight winners have come from the same team - - In his seventh season, Alexander-Walker thrived with the Hawks: he helped Atlanta remain a playoff team, and he scored in double figures in 76 games and made 251 3-pointers in 2025-26, a single-season franchise record and fourth most in the league this season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker being named the 2025-26 Kia's Most Improved Player?. . ."NBA ROY:" Teenage sensation Cooper Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Monday, narrowly defeating his former Duke roommate, Kon Knueppel for the honor - - Flagg edged Knueppel by 26 points in the voting by a panel of 100 media members: Flagg received 56 first-place votes, while Knueppel received 55 second-place votes & one third place - - **NOTE: The 19-year-old Flagg became the second-youngest player to win the way, behind only LeBron James, as the 26-point voting gap between Flagg & Knueppel, 20, is the second smallest between the top finishers in a rookie of the year race since the current voting format began in the 2002-03 campaign, according to the NBA: Only the race between Scottie Barnes (378 points) and Evan Mobley (363) in the 2021-22 season had a smaller gap - - Flagg, the No.1 pick in last year's draft, averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds & 4.5 assists per game for the Dallas Mavericks, joining Larry Bird, Michael Jordan & Luke Doncic as the only rookies to average at least 20 points, six (6) rebounds & four (4) assists in the 50 seasons since the NBA-ABA merger, and he led all rookies in scoring, ranked second among qualifiers in assists and third in rebounds - - Knueppel, the No.4 pick, averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds & 3.5 assists while shattering the rookie record for 3-pointers made with a league-leading 272, as he played a major role in a midseason turnaround for the Charlotte Hornets, who made a 25-win improvement from last season to finish 44-38 before being eliminated in the Eastern Conference play-in round, whereas Flagg's Mavericks finished 26-56 overall, and he joined Jordan as the only rookies in NBA history to lead their teams in scoring, rebounding, assists & steals - - Flagg was the only player in the NBA this season to lead his team in each of those categories - - Flagg, who turned 19 on Dec.21, had a historic season for a teenager: **NOTE: He became the youngest player in NBA history to have games of 35, 40, 45, and 50 points, as well as the youngest to have at least 10 assists. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Cooper Flagg edging out Kon Knueppel for the 2025-26 NBA ROY Award?. . .A "Guilty" Plea: Former NBA player & assistant coach Damon Jones became the first person to plead guilty Tuesday in a gambling sweep that led to the arrests of more than 30 people, including reputed mobster & other basketball figures, including former Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups - - During back-to-back hearings in Brooklyn federal court, Jones entered guilty pleas to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in what prosecutors say were sports betting & rigged poker game schemes - - He acknowledged that he conspired with others to defraud sports betting companies by using "insider information that I obtained as a result of my relationships as a former player" - - He said the goal of the sports betting conspiracy, which ran from December 2022 to March 2024 was to use his insider knowledge - which prosecutors say involved non-public information about injuries to NBA star - to make money from sportsbooks - - He also acknowledged that his actions violated the NBA's code of conduct and also the terms of service on sports betting websites - - During his second hearing, Jones admitted that he was paid to act as a "face card" at poker games in Miami and the Hamptons by using his NBA celebrity to "lure high-end bettors" to the table - - In the sports betting case, the sentencing guidelines call for a punishment of 21-27 months in prison, whereas in the poker games case, Jones would face 63-78 months in prison, but prosecutors agreed to subtract 15 months from the sentence in exchange for Jones pleading guilty, which would put his potential sentence at 48-63 months in prison if the judge follows the guidelines - - In additon to facing prison time, Jones also agreed to forfeit a totla of $73,000 in the two cases. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Damon Jones being the first defendant in the sports betting & rigged poker games cases plead guilty?. . .2025-26 NBA Playoffs Recap: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review & recap the following first-round playoff series: **Be Sure to Tune in for a Full Recap of the first round playoff series. . . Eastern Conference Playoffs: No.1 Detroit Pistons vs. No.8 Orlando Magic No.2 Boston Celtics vs. No.7 Philadelphia 76ers No.3 New York Knicks vs. No.6 Atlanta Hawks No.4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No.5 Toronto Raptors Western Conference Playoffs: No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No.8 Phoneix Suns No.2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No.7 Portland Trail Blazers No.3 Denver Nuggets vs. No.6 Minnesota Timberwolves No.4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No.5 Houston Rockets Thanks for Listening!