Crunching Tackles

After being canceled in 2020, the NCAA tournament is back in 2021! John was in Indianapolis covering the first round, and Chad is leading the Crunching Tackles bracket group, so both of the guys have plenty to say about the tournament. On this week's episode we discuss: 2:00 — John describes his experience in the tournament bubble for a weekend. 6:24 — What happens when a tournament team gets a CO...

John is headed to March Madness! Follow crunching_tackles on Instagram for behind the scenes looks at the NCAA Tournament, ask John questions about what it is like to cover the tournament. Also, join our ESPN Tournament Challenge bracket group, using this link. Compete against John and Chad, see their bracket analysis, and compare how you stack up against the boys. As always, make sure to subscrib...

When is it time for an athlete to end their career? In what ways can the athlete control how we tell their story? On this week's episode we discuss: 1:00 — Harry, Meghan, and the royal drama 5:02 — The one-year anniversary of COVID-19, and what we've learned this year 21:41 — The end of the story for athletes/how should they retire/pop culture and stories 39:58 — Women's History and Naomi Osaka As...

Zlatan told LeBron to stay away from politics. LeBron said he wouldn't dream of it. We talk about the great 2021 athlete feud - and ask who's right.  On this week's episode we discuss: - Impending March Madness - Whether Manchester City will win the quadruple - Should LeBron "shut up and dribble?" Is Zlatan just a self-centered egotist?  - What's the place of political statements in a divided coun...

When you understand how good Mike Trout is, it makes you wonder why he gets so little media and fan attention. Today, the boys try to unpack why Mike Trout is the most under-covered athlete in America. We discuss: - If the Hobbit movies ruined The Lord of the Rings franchise - Why we are at peace about Tiger Woods' career - What Mike Trout need to change about his personality - If baseball still c...

After a surprising Super Bowl result down in Tampa, the boys are here for a full recap of all the sporting and cultural events. On today's pod, we discuss: - Why Tampa's defense deserved Super Bowl MVP - Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady - How did the pandemic affect our enjoyment of the game? - What were our favorite and least favorite commercials? - And a special shoutout to the Bucs coaching staff....

How does free agency impact sports? What happens when a player demands a trade? Are transfers good or bad for the sporting cultures of teams and fans? On today's episode, the boys discuss: - A very unique Star Wars x Sports crossover -  The latest on the Deshaun Watson trade saga - Is free agency ruining the legacies of athletes? - The Drew Robinson Documentary - And the newest announcement from E...

As the NHL and NBA battle positive COVID cases and are forced to postpone several games, some inside the leagues are open to the idea of going back to playing in isolated bubbles, like they did to end the 2020 season. What is the best way to combat coronavirus in sports leagues? On today's show, the boys discuss: - Star Wars and MARVEL villains -  Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl -...

Five NFL playoff quarterbacks in 2021 took the field at over 37 years old. On this episode, John and Chad unpack the trend of athletes playing later into their careers. Is there a benefit to being an older player? Can the best athletes in the world really be in their late 30s? We discuss: - NFL Quarterbacks and the trend of age -  Some of the oldest successful athletes to play at the top level - T...

What would it be like to be the child of a legendary athlete who also pursues the same sport? What kind of pressure and expectations come with being a famous child-athlete? On today's episode, we discuss: - Charlie Woods at the PNC Championship golf tournament -  The expectations that come with being named "LeBron James Jr." - How the Williams sisters defied the odds - The College Football Playoff...

A tale of two podcasts, as the boys convene on Thursday to discuss some of the biggest stories in sports, and reconvene again on Monday to cap off a fantastic Mandalorian Season 2 finale. We discuss: - The newest announcement of Disney+ and Star Wars shows - The long-overdue recognition of the Negro Baseball league - Why Russian sports are in serious international trouble - Our favorite moments fr...

We finish up our series traveling around the world with a stop in Brazil for a deep dive into some soccer history (to much rejoicing from John)! Players like Pele and Ronaldinho have shaped the image of the game in our minds - and we examine why. We discuss:  - Diego Maradona's legacy after passing away last week - Pele's impact on world soccer - Brazil's development into a soccer superpower  - Th...

John and Chad return to their journey around the world. Now in Ireland, we discuss: - The Gaelic Athletic Association and the culture of historic sports - The intense political and sports rivalry between Ireland and England - The greatest golf moment in the history of the country - Moving to the Mandalorian, we discuss how Chapter 12 fits into the whole of the story - And will we ever see Boba Fet...

John and Chad reunite IN PERSON for this very special episode of Crunching Tackles. Taking a break from the around the world theme, we discuss: - How the shortened offseason has hurt soccer and may hurt the NBA - Kim Ng and the first female GM hire across the four major American sports - A mid-round Masters update - If Baby Yoda should be canceled for genocide - And Chad recommends the Apple TV or...

Crunching Tackles takes a visit to our next-door neighbors Canada on this week's episode! We've been looking to uncover the unique aspects of sporting culture around the world - and this week's episode takes a look at the land of ice hockey and maple leaves.  We discuss:  - The fascinating origins of lacrosse - Canada's love for winter sports (for obvious reasons) - The role Canada played in forgi...

John and Chad are continuing their mini-series, taking the Crunching Tackles podcast around the world, to uncover the unique aspects of sporting culture in various parts of the world. Today, they visit South Africa, and have a very deep discussion about the blending of race and sports in that country's culture. On this week's podcast, we discuss: - The Mandalorian Season 2 - Rugby and the end of a...

John and Chad are continuing their mini-series, taking the Crunching Tackles podcast around the world, to uncover the unique aspects of sporting culture in various parts of the world. Today, they arrive in India, discussing curling, polo, and the impact of British imperialism on sporting culture around the world. On this week's podcast, we discuss: - If John really understands Japanese cartoons as...

John and Chad start a new miniseries, taking the Crunching Tackles podcast around the world, to uncover the unique aspects of sporting culture in various parts of the world. Today, they start in Japan, talking about sumo wrestling, baseball, soccer and the heritage of Japanese sports. On this week's podcast, we discuss:  - What Star Wars character should be the theme of the next trilogy - What kin...

With John out of quarantine and catching up on all the work he missed, he gets together with Chad to go on a brief journey through the sports world this weekend. From the NBA Finals, to Liverpool and Manchester United, with a bit of baseball and football too, the boys tackle all the biggest stories from a packed weekend. On this week's podcast, we discuss: - If Jimmy Butler or LeBron James are goi...

Why is John furious about having to pay for Peacock TV to watch Arsenal, and what does that tell us about sports entertainment? Are the growing number of streaming services good or bad for sports tv? What do they mean for the sports fan? On this week's podcast, we discuss: - If referees are ever responsible for the outcome of a game - Why John is furious about having to pay for soccer - If streami...

After diving into polling data and demographic information, Chad and John break down what an average sports fan looks like. Is it different for different sports? How does age come into account? What about political beliefs? On this week's podcast, we discuss: - Baby Yoda's heritage - How demographics impact sports, and what it means for the future - Should sports be concerned about declining ratin...

With the abundance of sports documentaries currently available on-demand, what are the best ones? What makes for an excellent sports documentary? And what do these documentaries do to the way fans view sports? On this week's podcast, we discuss: - Which sports documentaries are the best - What makes for a good sports documentary - Skip Bayless and his comments about Dak Prescott - Kansas City Chie...

Major league baseball has experimented with several rule changes this season, including the designated hitter and runners on second base. What do the guys think about these rules, and what other rules would they like to see sports try? On this week's podcast, we discuss: - Star Wars and Batman (somehow at the same time) - If MLB rule changes are good for baseball - What rule changes we would like...

When the NBA shut down for the second time in 2020, the reason was very different. What did the NBA players gain by staging a boycott of games for a few days? Was this helpful to their cause? Should they finish this season? On this week's podcast, we discuss: - Why the NBA players chose to boycott - What the increase in politics mean for sports - Why some athletes may feel left out of the conversa...

Everyone likes to debate who the G.O.A.T. is, but what is the criteria to determine it? On this episode, John and Chad break down the different ways to define greatness, and explain which method is the best. On this week's podcast, we: - Answer your Star Wars questions - Debate statistics vs. achievements as a way to define greatness - Theorize about athletes who would excel in multiple sports - A...