The Rant

When initially approaching Leroy to hop on The Rant, I could hear his reluctance. His fears were allayed, soon as we pressed record. On it, he discusses his come up as a young man from Queens, his affinity for being great at everything he does, his first experience blowing the whistle, and how his old soul often competes to catch up with his young body. All that and more, my conversation with Lero...

Christian never was, or will be, an official. However, he’s official in anything he does, whether it be graphic design, photography, or editing The Rant. In this pod, we discuss the partner, that’s deafening in his silence, his experience creating Referee Rant, and his reluctance to put a cap on its limit. All that and more, my conversation with Christian, now.

Failure is something and I that Blake can relate to - like me, he failed the first time he tried to get certified for Basketball; only the first time I failed, it was the first time he passed, on his second go round. In this pod, he discusses his playing style at Manhasset, his journey as an official, and the stickiest situation that I’ve ever heard in officiating to date. All that and more, my co...

Mike already knew, at an early age, that keeping the integrity of the game, was important: An official was and is integral in any type of game. In this pod, we discuss his come up, how mentors have helped him get to the top level of the college basketball ranks, how he helps others after him, and his new line, Tek Officials, built for the modern referee. All that and more, my conversation with Mic...

There’s a cool, calm, and confident air that surrounds Shanade. In this pod, we pull up at the fabled Lincoln Park in Queens, NY, where she discusses her start in cheerleading, her meaningful mentors that mean everything to her, and her pursuit to conquer all her goals, one whistle at a time. All that and more, my conversation with Shanade, now.

Bryant Lassiter, aka Mook, has always played with a chip on a shoulder. That chip was able to be brushed off, which made him a successful college basketball player, and a successful coach at NYIT: He also discusses his inspiration starting the tournament that showcases the best head-to-head battles over the years on Long Island, called, Rivalries Never Die. All that and more, my conversation with...

Ralph the Ref sits down with two other Ref’s named Ralph, that share the love of the craft - officiating. The Father, a gifted communicator in Lax and Field hockey, and son, a basketball official with a jump shot that will never make me play The game again. They discuss their relationship with the games they officiate, the relationship they have with each other, and how they keep it all in the fam...

Dezzy is ubiquitous. When I’m leaving a game, he’s coming to one. When I’m coming to a game, he’s leaving another. Very rarely do we work together, but when we do, it’s special. In this pod, we discuss his career at the now legendary defunct Rice High School, his Division 1 College Basketball Career, and his fast trajectory in officiating basketball today. All that and more, my conversation with D...

Every summer at Orchard Beach, you can catch Joe Cruz running around like a chicken with his head cut off. He’s more than that. He’s on - as a basketball official getting his feet wet, and running out of the most respected NYC summer leagues. Hoops in the Sun.

Steve is New England, v through and through. In this pod, he discusses how officiating changed his life, his pursuit to the highest levels of college Basketball, his love of cycling, and his experience assigning the largest conglomerate of schools in Massachusetts. All that and more, my conversation with Steve, now.

I’ve known Tahree almost 20 years, and it was a shock to see him in a different context, a different arena - one that involved him officiating the game of Basketball. In this pod, we discuss how he got into officiating, his experience in his first year, and what the future holds for him. All that and more, my conversation with Tahree, now.

I had the pleasure to meet Anthony Cox at the now defunct Fundamental Sports Training Facility. In this pod, we discuss Ant’s late beginning as a high school standout on Long Island, his college career, and what the life is like in the Pro-Am circuit. All that and more, my conversation with Ant, now.

Tim and I have been through many a battles together. We once had a game where we witnessed not one jump ball, not 2 - but 76 jump balls. He discusses his humble beginnings in Hempstead, NY, his love of basketball, and where he wants to take all of it in officiating. All that and more, my conversation with Tim, now.

Ethan discusses two sports that are rarely spoken on the Rant - Volleyball and Hockey. In this pod, we discuss his love of Volleyball and Hockey growing up, what it’s like to skate, what Hockey means in Canada, and what the future holds for him. All that and more, my conversation with Ethan, now.

Rob Moses wears many hats, but they all have one common thread; the game of Basketball. In this pod we discuss his love for said sport, his experience with coaching along side the Legend Ron Naclerio, his own experience officiating NYC, and his give back and thank you to Queens - More Than A Game Inc. - all that and more, my conversation with Rob, now.

A picture is worth a 1,000 words, and Damion has taken thousands of them. In this pod, he describes his love of photography, his love of sports, and how he combined the two, to make a passionate living. All that and more, my conversation with Damion, now.

For 61 years, Tom Konchalski searches far and wide to see a new crop of talent in the game of Basketball. At a park near his apartment in NYC, he discusses his love for watching Connie Hawkins dunk a basketball, his formula for evaluating Basketball players, his fondest memories, and what the game means to him. All that and more, my conversation with Tom, now.

Sky’s the limit for one Nate. His potential and ambition are on a collision course with his opportunities. In this pod, we sit with the precocious young man, to discuss his come up as an intramural ref not knowing what to do, to seeking people that do, transitioning all the way to the NBA grassroots program. All that and more, my conversation with Nate, now.

I’m happy I never got a chance to play against Justin in a game of Basketball; chances are, I wouldn’t stand a chance. He discusses his playing days as a youth, playing for St. Mary’s on Long Island, his collegiate career and how it structured him, and his love for officiating and his brand Refs Corner. All that and more, my conversation with Justin, now.

It was only 4 years ago when I met Mike Mayer on the Basketball Court. I noticed that his shoes had dirt. He just came from a baseball game, and I, a Lacrosse game. He convinced some to join baseball. Join baseball I did. In this pod, Mike discusses his love for baseball growing up, his transition officiating a sport with a clock, and everything in between. All that and more, my conversation with...

For 4 decades Ron Naclerio has been knocking doors to help the youth, and make them bust down doors when on the court. He shares his experience being the Dozo Hoops head honcho, his experience being a Baseball prospect, how he stays sharp with his X’s and O’s, and what his future holds. All that and more, my conversation with Coach Naclerio, now.

I’ve known John since I started my officiating. From Viking hats and handing out ref fees, we always had a bond. He discusses his love for flag football, his other love of Pro Wrestling, and what his future holds. All that and more, my conversation with John, now.

Baseball is in Eric’s blood. That blood done spilled over - as he combined his propensity of officiating and his love of baseball and found umping. Suffice to say, it’s his calling. He discusses his start as a short stop with a dream, living in close quarters of Yankee Stadium, and how he tries to outwork himself by improving in his craft everyday. Not only that, he’s generous with his information...

What we find most impressive of Nelson is not the level of where he’s at in the game officiating, but his approach. He discusses his precocious beginnings in Central Florida, falling in love with adjudicating the game of Basketball, and what the journey experiencing it all means to him. Along with my co-host Michael Grant, my conversation with Nelson, now.

Alex has seen it all on the diamond. For nearly 4 decades, he’s thrown balls and strikes behind the dish, and out’s and safe’s on the base paths. We honor his career by discussing it’s illustriousness in it’s entirety, from doing adult fast pitch softball, to High School, all the way to the NCAA level. He’s seen his share of hardball. He talks about what baseball mean’s to him, interpreting the ru...