Ride Home Rants

Send us Fan Mail A college choice can change everything. Martell Prayear takes us from Glenville to Baldwin Wallace, breaking down why a small-school environment—where people learn your name and invest in your growth—can become the foundation for a career, a community, and a life you actually want to live. We dig into the real work of admissions through Martell’s lens: fit over flash, personal att...

Send us Fan Mail What if a single decision—book the ticket, join the band, raise your hand—could tilt your life toward courage and curiosity? That’s the energy running through our conversation with Stephanie Nunley, Senior Director of Admissions and Recruitment Strategy at Case Western Reserve’s Weatherhead School of Management, who brings world travel, Division I band grit, and people-first admis...

Send us Fan Mail A coach who chose roots over rungs. That’s the heartbeat of our conversation with Case Western Reserve University head football coach Greg Debeljak, whose uncommon path in a nomadic profession shows what happens when you build a program—and a life—around staying power. We dig into why Division III fit his wiring, how mentors like Tony DiCarlo and Jim Tressel shaped his approach, a...

Send us Fan Mail What makes a Christmas tradition stick—the flavor, the place, or the story you tell about it? We gathered five friends from across the map to trade brutally honest eggnog takes, map out Christmas Eve and Day rituals, and argue for the movies that still make us feel like kids. From beach fires in North Carolina to church services and the Feast of the Seven Fishes, the thread runnin...

Send us Fan Mail Christmas Eve, 80 degrees, and a football game that doubles as a tradition—this Hawaii Bowl breakdown brings together coaches, players, and diehard fans to unpack what makes Honolulu in December feel electric and unforgiving at the same time. We walk through the Bowl’s history, memories of late-night kickoffs, and the tug-of-war between island wonder and competitive edge. We dig i...

Send us Fan Mail Press play and step through a time portal to the 1990s—sports dynasties on every screen, movie tie-ins on your soda cup, sitcoms that rewired comedy, and a Monday night where wrestling made the whole country pick a side. We hand the reins to our manager, Fiddy, and bring a lively panel together to relive the decade that shaped how we watch, listen, and eat. We kick off with the bi...

Send us Fan Mail Sleepless nights, impossible choices, and a love that refuses to quit—this roundtable takes you inside the parts of parenting we usually gloss over. We start light with a gum-and-July icebreaker, then drop into the real work: dads confronting fear and balance during the infant stage, moms naming the mental load and default-parent trap, and all of us learning why presence matters m...

Send us Fan Mail Four chairs, one feast, and a lot of opinions. We sat down for our annual Thanksgiving roundtable to tackle the choices that make or break the day: where to spend it, when to eat, which sides survive, and whether the Macy’s Parade is better in person or from the couch. What starts as a friendly debate about gummy bears and toothpaste quickly shifts into a real conversation about h...

Send us Fan Mail Forget highlight reels—this conversation lives where the work actually happens. We sit down with coach and former arena pro AJ Saunders for a grounded ride through high school football, family balance, and a hospital IT career that runs on urgency and trust. AJ opens up about a 5–5 season with Plum High School, a wild blocked field goal turned touchdown, and a playoff exit that st...

Send us Fan Mail Ready for a heavyweight bout over the legacy of Sylvester Stallone? We gathered a lively panel to rank Sly’s greatest franchises, argue his place among action icons, and unpack the line that still makes crowds cheer. From Rocky’s underdog magic to Rambo’s ferocious lone-wolf mythology and The Expendables’ star-studded mayhem, we break down why the order Rocky > Rambo > Expen...

Send us Fan Mail What makes an icon endure: muscle, myth, or mindset? We gather a lively panel to track Arnold Schwarzenegger’s improbable climb from Austrian bodybuilder to global action star to California governor—and why that exact trajectory may never be possible again. We start by ranking his “big three” careers and quickly find ourselves weighing influence against output: Mr. Olympia titles...

Send us Fan Mail The air gets cooler, the leaves start to whisper, and our panel is ready to argue about everything that makes Halloween unforgettable. We start where the night really begins: what “feels” like Halloween weather. Is it a hoodie-and-moonlight kind of chill or a rare 70-degree evening that lets you show off your costume without hiding it under a coat? From there, we dive into the joy...

Send us Fan Mail A juggernaut from Hollywood meets a nation’s heartbeat under a closed roof. We break down Dodgers vs Blue Jays from every angle: the tactical edges, the noise under the dome, and the human details that tilt a World Series. Our panel calls the series with conviction—some see LA’s depth ending it in five, others ride Toronto’s underdog momentum to a seventh-game win—and we explain e...

Send us Fan Mail If you love bold calls and smarter hoops talk, pull up a chair. We’re breaking down the 2025–26 NBA season with a roundtable that isn’t afraid to challenge the consensus: international stars versus U.S. headliners, why culture may beat hype this year, and how one coaching switch could redefine the Knicks’ identity. We get specific on who gains ground in the East, which West team c...

Send us Fan Mail The car is moving, the mics are live, and Big Energy fills the cabin. We welcome Steve from Cleveland’s southeast side—a former class clown turned campus champion—who proves that humor, heart, and hard work can live in the same room. We trade locker room stories and tight five timing, then unpack what makes a great set: reading the crowd, owning the mic, and turning a heckle into...

Send us Fan Mail A single visit changed everything. Jaleel Richardson walked Baldwin Wallace with his family on a bright day, talked wrestling with Coach Gibbs, spotted a comic shop across the street, and realized the fit was bigger than a roster spot. That decision took him from injured freshman to culture carrier, from athlete to advisor, and today he’s the first call for students trying to figu...

Send us Fan Mail Our annual All Things Fall episode kicks off with our panel of guests representing greater Northeast Ohio while Mike represents Central Ohio in Columbus. This panel of contributors breaks down their opinions of last falls exceptionally warm weather and how nice a warm fall can be. They dive into deep discussions about pumpkin spice, corn fields, and their thoughts on family pictur...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder how your earliest experiences shape your entire worldview? Steve Scheidt knows firsthand. After spending his first five years in Nairobi, Kenya, his return to the United States came with a startling question at the Chicago Zoo: "Why are all the animals behind bars?" Having only known wildlife in their natural habitat, Steve's perspective was forever chan...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered who orchestrates the complex symphony of college athletics? In this riveting conversation with TJ Shelton, Director of Athletics and Chair of the Physical Education Department at Case Western Reserve University, we pull back the curtain on collegiate sports administration and discover the invisible architecture that supports student-athletes. TJ brings a wealth of ex...

Send us Fan Mail Football season is upon us, and the Ride Home Rants podcast has assembled a passionate panel of fans to break down everything you need to know heading into kickoff. This lively roundtable discussion dives deep into the most compelling storylines across the NFL landscape, from coaching hot seats to championship aspirations. Our panel doesn't hold back when assessing which coac...

Send us Fan Mail Three seasoned gamblers pull back the velvet rope on what really happens at casinos across America. From the glittering floors of Las Vegas to regional venues like Erie's Presque Isle and Mountaineer in West Virginia, our guests share unfiltered stories from their collective decades at the tables. Blackjack emerges as the unanimous favorite game, though as Bill admits, "...

Send us Fan Mail Games reveal who we truly are. In this lively, sometimes heated conversation with guests Matt Landowski and Tony Bogan, we explore the classic pastimes that define our social gatherings and family reunions. The humble board game sparks surprising passion as we debate the merits of simplicity versus strategy. Matt champions tic-tac-toe for its accessibility and Tony confesses his c...

Send us Fan Mail What makes a truly great athlete? Is it dominance in a single sport, versatility across multiple disciplines, or possessing physical gifts that defy normal human limitations? In this thought-provoking roundtable, our panel of sports experts – Matt, Mike, and TJ – tackle the fascinating question of who deserves recognition as the greatest athletes of all time. The conversation begi...

Send us Fan Mail Logan Bell's story begins not in a town, but in a village—a one-square-mile dot on the map called Lisbon, Ohio. It's here where his baseball journey took root, nurtured by parents who somehow balanced demanding work schedules with never missing a game. When most people ask where Lisbon is located, he simply references Youngstown, a familiar landmark that anchors his smal...

Send us Fan Mail Buying a home might be the American dream, but nobody warns you about the secret nightmares lurking beneath those picturesque front yards. In this eye-opening roundtable discussion, three seasoned homeowners pull back the curtain on what really happens after you get those keys. Our special guest host Fiddy welcomes Wendy, a Cleveland-based realtor with dual expertise as both a pro...