Straight Lines

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes retired U.S. Army Colonel Ian Palmer — military strategist, leadership coach, and mentor — to this episode of Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents, and coaches. Colonel Palmer spent over 26 years leading soldiers across the globe, rising from ROTC l...

Host Coach Tim Neiman launches the inaugural episode of Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania with a conversation that couldn't be more fitting — sitting down with Kurt Landes, President and General Manager of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies and the only GM in the franchise's history. Straight Lines Eastern Pennsylvania is brought to you by Bluebook Sports...

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Mikal Nielsen — mental fitness coach, inspirational speaker, author, and host of the Mental Fitness: The Gateway to Success podcast — all the way from New Zealand to this episode of Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents, and coaches. Mikal brings mor...

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Tanner Bykowski, founder of Diamond Derby, to this energizing episode of Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents, and coaches. Tanner's story starts with an unexpected layoff, a motivational app notification that read "if not now, when?" and a vision t...

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Sean Irey, Director of Sales at Kwik Goal, to this episode of Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents, and coaches. Sean brings nearly 27 years of experience at one of the most recognized names in soccer equipment worldwide, and he and Coach Neiman dig...

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Dave Raymond — the original Phillie Phanatic, author of The Power of Fun and Evolution of Happiness, and son of Delaware Hall of Fame football coach Tubby Raymond — to this special Mental Health Month edition of Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents,...

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes Senior Pastor Mike Linch of North Star Church in Kennesaw, Georgia to this deeply moving episode of Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents, and coaches. Pastor Linch — a Liberty University baseball alumnus, leader of a 3,000-member congregation, and h...

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes former Major League manager Fredi Gonzalez to Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents, and coaches. Fredi spent 36 years in professional baseball, managing the Florida Marlins from 2007 to 2010 and the Atlanta Braves from 2011 to 2016, where he led a r...

Host Coach Tim Neiman welcomes retired U.S. Army Colonel Chris Kolenda to Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents, and coaches. Colonel Kolenda is a decorated combat veteran, founder of Strategic Leaders Academy, member of the Consulting Hall of Fame, and the driving force behind th...

Host Coach Tim Neiman sits down with renowned hitting instructor Kevin Wilson on this episode of Straight Lines, brought to you by Bluebook Sports — download the Bluebook Sports app today on Apple or Google Play to connect directly with players, parents, and coaches. Kevin brings over 25 years of experience working with Major League, minor league, college, and elite high school hitters, including...

Brought to you by Bluebook Sports — the game's trusted directory since 1909 — and recorded at Bluebook Media Studios. Host Tim Neiman sits down with Steve Farsiou, attorney and partner at Trinity & Farsiou Law in Flemington, New Jersey, for a conversation that every coach, employer, and employee needs to hear. Steve specializes in employer disputes, New Jersey discrimination law, and the Anti-Bull...

Mark Youngblood is a 23-year U.S. Secret Service veteran and current Chief Operating Officer at American Global Strategies. In this episode, host Tim Neiman sits down with Mark to break down the chaos of the White House Correspondents' Dinner incident, why Secret Service training is the gold standard, and what it really means to protect not just a person — but democracy itself. Mark shares what it...

In this episode of Straight Lines, Coach Tim Nyman sits down with Hall of Fame women's basketball coach and longtime athletic director Tom Shirley — the head women's basketball coach at Jefferson University with 44 years of coaching experience and 32 years as an athletic director. This conversation is packed with hard-earned wisdom on leadership, culture, recruiting, and what it really means to bu...

In this episode of Straight Lines with Tim Neiman, international scouting leader Tom Gillespie shares a powerful perspective on player development, global baseball growth, and what truly separates players at every level of the game. With over a decade of experience scouting and developing players across Europe, Africa, and Asia, Gillespie brings a unique lens to the conversation—one that blends tr...

Stephan Rapaglia—global baseball development leader with Play Global, co-founder of Old World Baseball, and former Great Britain National Team coach—joins Tim Neiman for a powerful conversation on expanding baseball worldwide and using the game to impact lives far beyond the field. From Europe to Africa, this episode dives into how baseball connects cultures, builds leaders, and creates opportunit...

Joe Jordano—former head coach at Mercyhurst and the winningest coach in University of Pittsburgh baseball history, now leading college placement at IMG Academy, joins Tim Neiman for a real, no-nonsense conversation on leadership, player development, and what it truly means to make an impact. From dugout lessons to life lessons, this episode is packed with insight for coaches, players, and leaders...

Tony Iannelli, President and CEO of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, joins Tim Neiman for a powerful conversation on leadership, economic growth, and building something that lasts. From revitalizing an entire region to leading with authenticity, Tony shares real-world insight that applies to business owners, leaders, and anyone chasing long-term success. Key Highlights How the Lehigh...

Welcome to the Straight Lines Podcast, where life lessons meet mentorship and the blueprint for success is built through clarity, discipline, and action. In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Brownlee, Assistant Executive Director for Coaching Outreach at the American Baseball Coaches Association. With a background in college coaching and now working with coaches across the country, Brownlee shar...

In this episode of Straight Lines with Tim Neiman, former New York Mets infielder Zach Lutz joins the show to share his unique journey from Division III baseball to the Major Leagues, and how that experience shaped his mission to bring clarity and honesty to today’s youth baseball landscape. Lutz discusses his unconventional path—choosing to play for his father at Alvernia University instead of pu...

In this episode of Straight Lines, host Tim Neiman sits down with Brian Madsen, USA Baseball 12U National Team manager and Marine Corps veteran, to talk about leadership, accountability, and what it really takes to build championship teams at the youth level. Coach Madsen shares insights from leading Team USA to gold medals on the international stage and explains why success at the highest youth l...

On this episode of Straight Lines, Tim Neiman sits down with longtime Boston sports broadcaster Tom Leyden to talk about what happens when a distinguished career suddenly shifts direction. After more than two decades in television — covering iconic teams, earning multiple Emmy Awards, and serving as sports director in major markets — Tom was unexpectedly laid off . What followed wasn’t retreat — i...

On this episode of Straight Lines, Tim Neiman sits down with sports psychologist Dr. Megan Cannon to explore the mental side of performance — and why emotion regulation, attention control, and mindset training separate the good from the great. From youth sports pressure to elite international athletes, Dr. Cannon breaks down how mental training works, why confidence is built (not given), and how v...

On this powerful episode of Straight Lines, host Tim Neiman sits down with longtime USA Baseball leader Butch Chaffin for a masterclass on leadership, character, and what it truly means to wear “USA” across your chest. From national team selection and international competition to elite player development and culture-building, Butch pulls back the curtain on what separates good players from USA pla...

On this episode of Straight Lines, host Tim Neiman welcomes Mirko Heid, President of the Bonn Capitals and a key leader within German and European baseball, for a deep conversation on leadership, development, and growing the game on a global stage. Mirko shares how baseball has taken root in Germany, the rise of the Bonn Capitals as one of Europe’s premier organizations, and why coaching, culture,...

On this episode of Straight Lines, host Tim Neiman sits down with Sean Buchanan, Triple-A Pitching Coach for the Houston Astros (Sugar Land) and Assistant Coordinator of Pitching across the Astros’ entire minor league system. In a wide-ranging conversation, Sean pulls back the curtain on what truly separates players at the highest levels of professional baseball. From the jump from Triple-A to the...