Couch and The Rube

A good conversation with The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach off the top on what's next in Big Ten expansion and more. Then Week 0 college football picks and NFC North over-unders with Harry, along with a can't-miss Premier League parlay. Plus, an hour of your Twitter questions on MSU football and more.

In our return from vacation, we dug into the pressing storylines we missed – Tom Izzo's 2023 recruiting haul (including two more pledges) and new contract, MSU football storylines (Keon Coleman's swagger, etc.), the likable Lions and Al Avila's firing. Plus, a can't-miss Premier League parlay.

We dug into your Twitter questions - on Tom Izzo, MSU basketball recruiting (as another recruit committed), what makes a successful MSU football season, the changing dynamic of the MSU-Michigan football rivalry, the angst of being a Tigers fan in the Al Avila era and more. Plus, Premier League best bets from Harry and us.

We dug into our hot takes and yours – on Xavier Booker choosing MSU and what that means for Tom Izzo and the Spartans, on MSU football expectations, on the anger toward Al Avila and apathy toward the Tigers, on teal Pistons jerseys, poorly told stories and more.

We dug into your Twitter questions – on MSU football scenarios, MSU basketball recruiting, hopes for the Lions, betting against the Tigers, revoking media credentials, life advice and more. Plus, a couple thrilling stories.

We opened with a discussion on MSU football recruiting in an NIL world and dug into the latest Big Ten expansion reports, and what it might look like if Big Ten athletes share TV revenue. Then, a good conversation with Lansing State Journal's Ryan Black - his MSU football observations from media day, and his reporting last weekend on Xavier Booker. Plus, NFL season wins over-unders with Harry Gagn...

We dug into our hot takes and yours – on the perils and challenges of MSU football recruiting in an NIL world, on MSU, U-M and Lions season wins over-unders, on Izzo's chase for Xavier Booker, making money betting against the Tigers, and more.

A rich smorgasbord of a show - beginning with a conversation on my worst takes and the words from SEC football media day that MSU fans fear, before a great conversation with The Athletic's Scott Dochterman on Big Ten expansion, future schedules and realignment and this coming season. Then, college football season-win over-unders with Harry and 45 minutes of your Twitter questions.

In our return, we dug into our hot takes and yours – on Big Ten football realignment, what's real about what MSU's Pierre Brooks is doing at Moneyball, MSU and Michigan football recruiting, Jim Harbaugh's future, betting golf, Al Avila, Carmen Electra and more.

In our final show until mid-July, we dug into your Twitter questions – on USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten, which schools might be next in the Big Ten's expansion, Chris Ilitch's tone-deaf assessment of the Tigers, Miles Bridges' domestic violence charges, Emoni Bates at Eastern Michigan and more, including The Rube's story about nearly burning down a house with fireworks.

We opened with takeaways on MSU's basketball team from the Moneyball Pro-Am - on Mady Sissoko, Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper, Pierre Brooks and AJ Hoggard especially. Plus we dig into MSU's basketball schedule and what a division-less Big Ten might look mean for MSU football. Then The Athletic's James Edwards joined us talking Pistons (as a trade was happening!), digging into expectations for draft...

We dug into our hot takes and yours – projecting Michigan State football season wins and why, the Pistons' draft and future, Max Christie as an NBA player, AJ Hoggard next season, Al Avila's tenure and future and more.

We dug into your Twitter questions - on MSU freshmen big men on Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, the Pistons' draft and what it means for them in free agency, on Max Christie's fit with the Lakers, the Free Press suing for the details of Mel Tucker's contract and more.

We dug into our hot takes and yours - on the Moneyball Pro-Am and what it could do for MSU basketball and MSU fans alike, on MSU football recruiting and what's fair to expect, on Al Avila and the Tigers, on who the Pistons should draft this week, and more.

We dug into your Twitter questions – on MSU football recruiting, how many years it would take for MSU to truly contend nationally, Draymond Green's place in MSU lore, who's MSU's best chance at having a Big Ten basketball player of the year candidate and more – including The Rube's lap-dance-for-Father's-Day story and live proof that Josh Groban isn't a very good singer.

We dug into Michigan State football's surge of recruiting momentum, what it means for MSU's program and where it's all headed. Then The Athletic's James Edwards joined us with insight on the Pistons' thinking heading into the NBA draft and what could happen with Jerami Grant. Plus, Harry Gagnon's U.S. Open and NBA Finals picks and our regrets over bets we didn't make.

We returned from vacation Sunday night, digging into our hot takes and yours – on MSU football's immense recruiting momentum, Mel Tucker, the Thomas Kelley MSU basketball hire, the Tigers, Casey Mize, LIV, marriage and more.

In our final show before a break for The Rube's wedding, we dug into your Twitter questions on Michigan State basketball's roster, on Big Ten realignment, what would make for better divisions and whether it makes sense to get rid of divisions altogether, which appears to be happening. Also, Izzo's staff, MSU and U-M football season wins over-unders, The Rube's pending nuptials and more.

We dug into MSU's basketball roster with former Division I assistant coach and MSU graduate assistant Rick Carter - on why Izzo isn't adding a transfer, the potential of the current roster and where NIL and the transfer portal are taking the sport. Plus, NBA, NFL, golf and soccer bets with Harry Gagnon.

We dug into our hot takes and yours – on Tom Izzo's approach to Michigan State's basketball roster, what expectations should be for next year's MSU team, what American sports can learn from an epic Premier League final weekend, great bets, the Tigers, Tiger Woods and more, including appearances by Yoda voice and Coach K voice.

We dug into your Twitter questions – on Tom Izzo's decision to stand pat with Michigan State's roster, the potential perils of doing so, MSU football, the early betting line for the Spartans and Wolverines, life, love and some fun comparisons.

We dug into my conversation with Tom Izzo and why MSU isn't adding a transfer big man, then dove into which players might be there for the Pistons to select with the fifth pick in the NBA draft. Plus, Harry Gagnon's PGA championship, NBA and NHL picks.

We dug into our hot takes and yours – on the perils of eliminating of divisions in Big Ten football and how to make it work, on the big-time recruits visiting Mel Tucker's program, on the sense of things with MSU basketball, on wives showing up in the studio and nearly ending the show and more.