Nothing Personal with David Samson

Today’s word of the day is ‘home sweet home’ as in the Tampa Bay Rays as in Tropicana Field as New York Yankees as in Spring Training. The Rays announced yesterday they will play home games at the Yankees Spring Training field. Wow. That’s two MLB teams that will play games at Minor League ballparks next season. (13:50) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about the MLB awards and why MLB decides to drag this out so long? Would I change this as Commissioner? (23:00) Diamond Sports Group emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. What does this mean? Can you now watch your games? (36:12) Review: SLC Punk. (38:43) Mike Tyson is fighting Jake Paul tonight. Are you excited? Netflix is! This is genius! (44:00) NPPOD. (47:13) Is the NBA nearing a settlement with Warner Bros. Discovery? This saga has gone on for months now. TNT lost the NBA to ESPN, NBC, and Amazon. And they’re still fighting for something. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘leader’ as in Aaron Rodgers as in the quarterback as in the leader of men as in the Jets as in Jeff Ulbrich as in 2025. Aaron Rodgers “thinks” he’ll play next year. Enough already! He can’t help making everything about himself. (8:50) Anthony Richardson is back to being the Colts starter. 2 weeks after being benched. Shane Steichen said Joe Flacco was the best bet to win games… nope. Where is Chris Ballard? Where is Jim Irsay? In 2 weeks Anthony Richardson has figured it all out? (16:10) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about MLB and the Braves dropping objections against the Diamond Sports bankruptcy plan. Hmmm. (28:42) Review: Broadcast News. (35:30) Gregg Popovich is not coaching the Spurs right now after suffering a stroke. The team says he will make a full recovery. He’s in his 29th season as an NBA coach and all with the Spurs. (41:05) NPPOD. (42:30) Deion Sanders is ready to take on the NFL Draft. Just like Archie Manning did with Eli back in the day. Deion wants what’s best for his son Shedeur and Travis Hunter. How will this happen? (48:10) Joel Embiid didn’t play again last night. He said he would play back to backs and here we are with him not playing. What are the Sixers doing? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘array’ as in options as in streaming as in broadcast as in pay per game. Is that what you want as a fan? Diamond Sports thinks so! You can pay for a single game to watch! (10:55) The Angels are here to spend money? Arte Moreno swears the team is buying now! Really? (18:08) Is fixing Tropicana Field worth it? $55 million in damages is the budget so far. But what about the new stadium? Is the city willing to dish out all that money? (29:48) Review: The Remarkable Life of Ibelin. (34:00) Let’s talk about Jordan Montgomery. Ken Kendrick crushed him. Frankly, every hitter this year crushed him. He’s back with the Diamondbacks… but for how long? (39:17) NPPOD. (47:00) Brian Flores wants to be a head coach in the NFL again. Brian Flores is still suing the NFL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘resuscitated’ as in the Miami Dolphins as in Tyreek Hill as in Tua as in Mike McDaniel as in the playoffs are back! Let’s start with Tyreek Hill and the update on his wrist. This will be a doozy! And then what is Tua thinking!? Trying to make a tackle on an interception!? (9:20) Coaches and the art of evaluating everything. Every coach does it. Yesterday Matt Eberflus and the Bears said it. Brian Daboll and the Giants said it. Antonio Pierce and the Raiders said it. Shane Steichen and the Colts said it. (15:12) Micah Parsons has been getting called out by everyone for his comments about Mike McCarthy. And then Micah Parsons took to his podcast to defend himself. The Cowboys are a mess that becomes even more of a mess. (24:10) NPPOD. It’s time for the Emirates NBA Cup! Get excited! (33:50) Review: The Substance. (40:00) The Phillies are making some changes. New minority investors. New changes to the upper-level of the front office. (47:50) The Marlins have found their man! A new manager! (49:50) Inter Miami was eliminated. Messi goes home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘Guinness’ as in Ireland as in Dublin as in international expansion as in more and more and more NFL games internationally. Roger Goodell wants it. The owners want it. Next season there will likely be 8 international games! (6:32) Let’s update the NFL coaching carousel. Are the Giants ready? Are the Jaguars ready? Are the Bears ready? (13:00) Jerry Jones has officially lost the plot. Adding at the deadline? Sure why not. Dak done for the season? Yup! How about hanging up some curtains to block the sun? NOPE! (18:03) The 49ers have a little bit of issues to work through. Nick Bosa was fined for wearing a MAGA hat postgame last weekend. Deebo Samuel got into it with a kicker and long snapper. But, hey! They won! (28:49) NPPOD. (34:05) Review: Disclaimer. (37:45) Roki Sasaki is on his way to MLB. He’s the next star. He’s only 23. This is more an Otani signing than a Yamamoto signing, and here is why. (46:20) Zion Williamson is out again. This time it’s a hamstring. Woof. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘believe’ as in ya gotta believe as in the New York Mets as in Steve Cohen as in Juan Soto as in Scott Boras. Mets owner Steve Cohen gets the first meeting with Juan Soto. How is that going to go? What would I do if I was Cohen. (12:20) Let’s discuss how some more teams will spend this offseason: St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox. (23:07) NPPOD. (28:30) LSU wants to have a live tiger at the game against Alabama on Saturday. Well, not LSU, but the Governor of Louisiana is pushing for it! HUH!? (36:00) Review: Rez Ball. (39:08) A Native American tribe is buying a soccer team in Sacramento. Whoa. (43:00) Bronny James is headed to the G-League BUT the way he’s being used there is hilarious. Only home games? Then back to the Lakers? (47:00) Does the WNBA have a coaching problem? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘magic juan’ as in Juan Soto as is Blake Snell as in Pete Alonso as in Alex Bregman as in Corbin Burnes as in yesterday was Scott Boras Day at the GM Meetings. How did you choose to celebrate? The things he says are so ridiculous. Why does he do it? (14:50) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about MLB teams not losing money and them wanting me to make them feel sorry for billionaires. Huh? (32:15) Review: The Green Mile. (36:40) Are the Browns ready to just pay Deshaun Watson not to play anymore? It seems like it. He’s out with an achilles tear and the GM would not commit to him next season as the starter. Why is that? (42:15) NPPOD. (47:10) The NHL CBA is next up. Negotiations are about to start. What do the teams want? What do the players want? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘the day after’ as in the day after the election as in Donald Trump as in Kamala Harris as in 47th President as in Trump wins. Did you go out and vote? Trump is back in office and did it by winning the popular vote. Wow. (14:45) GM Meetings are happening for baseball right now. Let’s go through the news out of there. (28:32) Review: Martha. (31:00) The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to dunk of the New York Yankees. Winning the World Series wasn’t enough. Joe Kelly went off on how the Dodgers knew the Yankees weren’t built for this. Manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers playing the Padres was the real World Series. (41:00) NPPOD. (42:20) Joel Embiid has been suspended by the NBA for 3 games for the incident with a reporter in the locker room. Embiid has yet to play this season. The 76ers are in last place and now without Embiid until next week. (49:20) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about celebrity sports endorsements and the impacts of those endorsements. It also had to do with team owners and how that relationship works with opposing player views. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘Election Day’ as in go out and vote as in make it count. (9:20) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about Gerrit Cole returning to the Yankees on the same deal he reportedly opted out of. Was this Brian Cashman calling Scott Boras’ bluff? Hmmm. (17:20) The Dallas Cowboys are in trouble. Dak Prescott is out for a few weeks. The season is a disaster. What is Jerry Jones doing? (22:01) The Saints have fired Dennis Allen in his third season. The Saints started the season HOT and are now on a 7-game losing streak. Woof. (29:15) Review: Joker - Folie à Deux. (32:45) Yesterday was Qualifying Offer Day in MLB. Will anyone accept them? (40:20) NPPOD. (43:15) A Dominican top baseball prospect was caught falsifying his age. Uh oh. A 19-year old acting as a 14-year old. This has always been a thing! (47:45) What is going on in Tampa? Is there any update at all about Tropicana Field? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘deadline’ as in players and teams are facing a deadline as in Gerrit Cole as in Yankees as in Scott Boras. The Yankees have until 5pm today to agree to a deal with Gerrit Cole or he’s a free agent. The Yankees already declined a deal with Anthony Rizzo. Let’s update the Boras Four from last offseason. (17:05) There is so much bad in the NFL right now. Nine teams with 2 losses. 11 teams fighting for the first overall pick. How did we get here? (31:15) Review: Woman of the Hour. (35:30) Jason Kelce got into it with a fan over the weekend at Penn State. Let’s discuss what happened, why it should not have happened, and what can happen now. (42:09) Joel Embiid gets into a locker room incident with a reporter. Another big uh oh. (46:20) NPPOD. (48:20) We have one day until Election Day. What are the candidates up to? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘fugue for tinhorns’ as in the offseason is here as in baseball is already off to the races. Free agency. Juan Soto. RSN business. So much going on. (21:25) What’s the latest going on with the Athletics? Do we finally get to see this financial plan? Is John Fisher ready to show the numbers? And what about that schedule for games in Sacramento… what a doozy. (35:50) Review: Old Man - Season 2. (37:30) NPPOD. (43:30) Bob Costas is hanging up his mic. After a 44-year career he no longer has it. What a legend. (48:00) We have a trade already! The Braves have traded Jorge Soler already! Arte Moreno, welcome to the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘5’ as in Freddie Freeman as in 5 runs as in 5th inning as in Game 5. Can you believe what you saw? An epic meltdown by the Yankees against the Dodgers. And now the Los Angeles Dodgers are your World Series champions! (13:30) How did the Dodgers get it done? What happens now? They get pitchers back. They get Ohtani back. They get to spend and spend and spend! (20:15) What are the Yankees going to do? Is Boone coming back? Is Cashman coming back? Is Soto coming back? (35:52) Review: The Bridges of Madison County. (39:36) NPPOD. (41:40) What’s going on with the WNBA? Adam Silver wants to start seeing more truth in valuations. The business of the league is not great. There’s a chance a lockout comes. And there are so many open head coaching jobs it’s crazy. (48:07) Saudi Arabia is pulling back on foreign funding. How bad is this for American sports? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘25%’ as in the Yankees are back in it as in the Yankees finally scored runs as in the Dodgers didn’t try to pitch through as in another fan gets kicked out of a game. Freddie Freeman homered again, but the Yankees were able to fight back because of the supporting cast finally. Anthony Volpe what a moment! (13:00) Let’s talk Game 5. What do the Dodgers need to do to end the series? How can the Yankees continue to fight? (20:45) NPPOD. (23:45) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about the World Series finally being able to outrate Monday Night Football. Oh yea! (34:20) Review: Only Murders in the Building. (37:05) The Colts are benching Anthony Richardson for Joe Flacco. Uh oh. (44:30) What’s going on in the NBA right now? The 76ers were fined already. Just one week into the season! And what’s with all the players not playing back-to-backs!? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘disconsolate’ as in despondent as in Dodgers as in Yankees as in MLB as in World Series. The Dodgers are one game away from a sweep of the Yankees. I can’t believe it. MLB can’t believe it. This was supposed to be the ultimate seven game series. But… Freddie Freeman and the Dodgers have other plans. (19:40) Keys to Game 4. Can the Yankees avoid the sweep? (24:00) NPPOD. (30:17) Review: Road Diary. (31:50) The future of the Cleveland Browns are in a weird place. Team needs a new stadium. Team is fighting city. And now we all see the team is so much worse off with Deshaun Watson at QB and they owe him so much money. (37:50) The Colts have a little issue with Anthony Richardson. Have you ever seen a QB sub himself out for being tired? (47:20) We are 7 days away from the election. Let’s discuss some of the things that are happening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘54’ as in 54 outs away as in the Dodgers are up 2-0 as in Yankees have to turn things around. How did we get here? Nestor Cortes gives up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman! Freeman has been on fire! Game 2 it was almost the moment for the Yankees in the 9th, but nope! Can the Yankees fight back? Is Ohtani going to play? (33:20) Rob Manfred wants the Tampa situation figured out ASAP. Tropicana Field will not be ready. The Rays need a place to play at. Where will it be? (40:45) What happened in the NFL over the weekend? Anything exciting? How about a player taunting during a Hail Mary against his team? How about the Jets and Cowboys losing again? (50:20) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘butterflies’ as in nerves as in that feeling of anxiety in your tummy as in the World Series is here! Let’s discuss gameday and what happens and what my experience was. The Yankees and Dodgers players are ready so Let’s play ball! (10:14) NPPOD. (12:00) 2013 World Series champion Will Middlebooks joins the show to break down the World Series with me! (33:26) Review: The Menendez Brothers. (38:30) There is an ugly fight brewing in Cleveland right now between the city and the Browns. It’s all about a new stadium. Here we go again as the stadium carousel always spins and spins and spins. (46:18) Aaron Judge spoke yesterday at World Series Media Day and he said he wanted teams to spend more and faster during the offseason. Is this what the fans want? The teams? The players? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘one fine day’ as in one more day until the World Series as in tomorrow as in keys to victory as in things to watch. Here we go! Ohtani vs Judge? Soto vs Betts? (16:35) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about Athletics owner John Fisher valuing his team at $2 billion! He wants to sell part of the team for $500 million. Ha. (27:10) NPPOD. (34:32) Review: Straight Outta Compton. (40:30) The Dallas Cowboys never stop being in the news. Good or bad. Doesn’t matter. We have the kicker missing practice for jury duty. Nice. And now we have players mad about stadium tours. Oh boy. (50:43) Let’s talk about the ESPN+ exclusive for the NFL on Monday. Why do people think this was a failure? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘rotation’ as in starters as in Gerrit Cole as in Jack Flaherty as in Carlos Rodon as in Yoshinobu Yamamoto as in bullpen games! Let’s talk about each team’s rotation and how it was set up for the series. And we have to take a moment to honor Fernando Valenzuela. (14:10) Nestor Cortes is ready to risk it all for a World Series ring. How smart is this? (19:20) Shohei Ohtani’s 50/50 ball just sold at auction for $4.4 million. A new record! (24:40) NPPOD. (35:50) Review: Tuesday. (38:30) Let’s talk about the Timberwolves sale. Is it done yet? Is ARod an NBA owner now? (42:30) Jerry Jones is back at it again. Back on radio. Back making up excuses. (49:23) The Athletics are installing grass at Sutter Health Park. Players complained about the idea to install turf, but the heat would have been unbearable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘already’ as in the NBA is already back as in Bron as in Bronny as in JJ Redick as in the 76ers as in Embiid as in Paul George as in Wemby as in the Timberwolves! (16:45) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about the WNBPA opting out of the CBA with the WNBA and what it means. What do these players want? What will the league be willing to give? Will there be a work stoppage? (35:35) Review: Bad Monkey. (38:08) What are the Dodgers and Yankees doing today? The World Series isn’t for another 4 days. (45:00) NPPOD. (47:45) Tua Tagovailoa is returning. He had some interesting things to say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ‘43 years’ as in Yankees as in Dodgers as in New York as in Los Angeles as in World Series. It happened. Top seeds in each league. Most popular teams in MLB. Highest spending teams. Judge, Ohtani, Soto, Betts, Stanton, Freeman. Wow. (21:40) Deshaun Watson is done for the year. Achilles popped. Fans cheered. Browns players were furious. What a mess. (27:33) The Jets got embarrassed again. Horrible. Who will Aaron Rodgers blame now? (33:45) The Giants benched Daniel Jones. He was not happy. Does it matter? The Eagles and Saquon crushed them. And Tua can come back next week. Should he? (38:15) Review: The Comeback. (45:33) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices