Sports With Friends

The U.S. Open conducted a mental health forum, “Mental Health and Sport: Why It Matters.” It featured Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps, former WTA #1 Tennis Player Naomi Osaka, and the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.

This episode covers the Tampa Bay Rays’ new Stadium plan, the latest with the NBA’s new TV contract, the future of the two remaining Pac-12 schools, Saudi influence on sports, streaming service’s impact on future rights deals, and if team values indicate the health of a league.

The second season of the HBO series about the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty is currently airing Season 2. Series basketball producer Idan Ravin joined the show to discuss his role on the show.

In September of 2021, he became the only active professional baseball player to come out as gay, and his story was featured in USA Today as well as 100+ other media outlets around the world including CBS, Yahoo, Bleacher Report, and Teen Vogue, among others.

Recorded live on Media Day before the 2023 US Open Tennis Tournament, Coco Gauff, Frances Tiafoe, Carlos Alcarez, Iga Swiatek, Novak Djokovic, Jessica Pegula, Taylor Fritz, Ons Jabeur, and Caroline Wozniacki all appear on this podcast.

In August 2023, Baltimore Orioles TV play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown was taken off the air after the team owner thought he was too negative on the broadcasts

Washington and Oregon followed them to the Big 10. Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah State announced they were leaving for the Big 12 in 2024. That leaves the Pac-12 with only four schools remaining.

In 2021, she was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a terminal illness that affects the brain’s ability to control her muscles, which atrophy. The people around the sport have rallied around her.

Dwight “Doc” Gooden played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball. He pitched for the New York Mets from 1984-1994. During that span, he was National League Rookie of the Year in 1984, NL Cy Young Award winner in 1985, and was a part of the 1986 Mets World Championship Team.