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Sports Spectrum Podcast

Launched in 2017 and now with over 5 million downloads, Sports Spectrum's podcast features stories on the intersection of sports and faith. Hosted by former ESPN Senior Producer Jason Romano, new conversations drop multiple times each week.
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Now displaying: March, 2019
Mar 31, 2019

Episode 273

Troy Hudson played 11 seasons in the NBA from 1998-2008 with the Jazz, Clippers, Magic, Timberwolves, and Warriors. He was undrafted after playing his college ball at Southern Illinois and made his NBA debut on October 31, 1997 with Utah. 

His best season came in 2002-03 with Minnesota when he averaged 14.2 points and 5.7 assists for a 51 win Timberwolves team. In the playoffs that year against the Shaq and Kobe Lakers, Hudson averaged 23.5 points in the 6 game series.

Today, Hudson is the team chaplain for the Timberwolves where he ministers to players before each game. He also is active in youth sports, coaching and training young athletes in the game of basketball.

On this episode of the podcast we talk to Troy about his role as an NBA team chaplain, the state of faith in the NBA, the importance of guys like Stephen Curry to use their platform to be bold about Christ, his first NBA game and difference between believing in God and having a personal relationship with Jesus. 

Mar 29, 2019

Episode 272

Dave Jauss is the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates and joined Manager Clint Hurdle's staff on October 31, 2012. Now in his 33rd season in professional baseball. In 2011, Jauss worked with the New York Mets as their Coordinator of Staff Development. He also served the Mets as their Major League Bench Coach in 2010 after working in the same capacity under manager Dave Trembley in Baltimore (2008-09) and under manager Grady Little with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006-07). Prior to joining the Dodgers in 2006, Jauss spent 10 seasons working as a coach, scout and administrator in the Boston organization from 1996-2005. He spent the 1995 campaign as Baltimore's coordinator of instruction before being hired by the Red Sox, where he worked as the minor league field coordinator for two years (2000-2001). His last three seasons with Boston (2003-05) were spent in the role of a Major League Advance Scout. Jauss' start in professional baseball came in 1988 when he managed Montreal's Gulf Coast League team.

Dave has been married to his wife Billie for 30 years and together they have three children. Billie is an author and recently released her first book "Making Room: Doing Less So God Can Do More."

On this episode of the podcast, Dave and Billie share their baseball journey, what the life of a traveling baseball wife is like, how God restored their marriage after a separation, the impact Clint Hurdle has made on their lives, and why it is so important to make an impact on others through baseball.

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 28, 2019
 

Jarrett Payton is a Chicago broadcaster, former NFL running back and the son of legendary Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton.

On this Throwback Thursday edition of the Sports Spectrum podcast from November 2017, Jarrett shares about his father's faith and what his walk with the Lord was like after finding out he had cancer. 

You can listen to the entire interview, Episode 55 here

 

Mar 27, 2019

Episode 271

Prince Amukamara plays cornerback for the Chicago Bears. He was selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and in his first season, earned a ring when his club defeated the Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI. 

After spending five seasons with the Giants, Prince went to Jacksonville for a season before arriving in Chicago in 2017. 

He played his college ball at the University of Nebraska and was named the 2010 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. 

Born to Romans and Christy Amukamara, both natives of Nigeria, Prince has five sisters named Princess, Promise, Peace, Precious, and Passionate. Prince is of royal Igbo Nigerian descent and his grandfather was the chief Awo-Omamma in the Imo State of Nigeria. Prince is currently next in line to be the chief.

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Prince Amukamara about the 2018 Chicago Bears season, the bond of faith that was cultivated in the locker room, orchestrated on-field celebrations, where his relationship with the Lord took shape, and his love for the game MAFIA. 

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 26, 2019

Episode 270

Joe Champion is the founder and pastor of Celebration Church in Austin, Texas.

Champion grew up in a football family with his Dad Jim coaching in both the NFL and CFL. While a football player at Louisiana State University, Joe considered following in his father’s footsteps with a career in the National Football League, but entered full-time ministry in 1989 after a life-transforming experience with Christ.  Joe's son Connor has continued the football coaching legacy as an assistant at Arizona State under Herm Edwards.

A husband and father of four, Pastor Joe is a globally recognized leader and speaker who serves on the boards of One Hope and Oral Roberts University. He is also part of the Lead Team of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), an international church planting organization. By example, Pastor Joe equips and empowers ministry leaders to take hold of God’s calling on their lives with an emphasis on the importance of maintaining Christ-like integrity and character.

On this episode of the podcast, we learn the story of Joe Champion coming to faith in Christ at the Atlanta Falcons training camp, how playing football at LSU shaped his faith and the powerful story of the best day and worst day of his life being the same day. 

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 25, 2019

Andrew McCutchen is starting his 11th season of Major League Baseball. He began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates making his big league debut in June of 2009. After 9 seasons with the Bucs, he was traded in January 2018 to the San Francisco Giants. In August of 2018, he was again traded to the Yankees and 4 months later, signed a 3-year deal in December of 2018 with the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Cutch is a 5-time All-Star and 4-time Silver Slugger Award Winner. He won a Gold Glove in 2012 and was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 2013.

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Andrew about the excitement surrounding his new team, his crazy 2018 that saw him change teams three times in a calendar year, why accountability is important to him in his walk with the Lord, the one piece of advice he'd give to a young player coming up, and his memories of his first major league game. 

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 22, 2019

Episode 268

Jayson Gee just completed his first year as associate head coach of the Eagle basketball program. Gee has spent 29 years coaching collegiate basketball. Previously, he was the head coach at Longwood from 2013-2018. 

In addition to his time at Longwood, Gee was also a head coach at the University of Charleston (1996-2003) in West Virginia and combined has a 202-175 record in his head coaching career. That is just the tip of the iceberg for his experience as an assistant or associate head coach at Youngstown State (1989-93), Ohio University (1993-96), St. Bonaventure (2003-06) and Cleveland State (2006-13).

The veteran hoops coach is also the author of The Battle for Brandon, a book that is a dramatic and compelling story about Jayson Gee and his wife Lynette and their son Brandon's courageous fight against child onset paranoid schizophrenia. The Gee family also worked with mass media veteran Chad Bonham to transform the book into a documentary that has received endorsements from Emmy Nominated and Golden Globe Award winning actress Jennifer Garner, WNBA MVP Tamika Catchings, former Pittsburgh Steeler Antwaan Randle El, and many more.

The 2015 recipient of the prestigious John Lotz Barnabas Award, Gee was also named one of the nation's top 10 assistant coaches by BleacherReport.com while at Cleveland State. The John Lotz Barnabas Award is presented annually to honor a basketball coach who best exhibits a commitment to Christ, integrity and encouragement of others, and lives a balanced life.
Gee took over at Longwood in 2013 to lead the program into its second season as a member of the Big South Conference. He produced the program's first All-Big South first and second team selections (five total) and sent four players on to play professionally.

On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Jayson about his journey to coaching, why we're so caught up in March Madness, where his faith foundation was born, his prescription to the supernatural and the powerful story of his son Brandon. 

 For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 21, 2019

James Brown is the host of CBS Sports' NFL Today show and joined us on Episode 17 of the podcast back in June of 2017. 

Since February 2006, JB has served as host for the CBS Television Network’s NFL pre-game show, THE NFL TODAY. He has also hosted the Network’s Super Bowl pre-game show for its coverage of Super Bowl LIII in February 2019. 

On this Throwback Thursday edition of the show, we bring back JB's story of his faith journey. 

You can listen to the entire interview of Episode 17 of the podcast here

For more, log on to SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 20, 2019

Chris Low is a senior writer covering college sports for ESPN.com. A graduate of Tennessee, he grew up in South Carolina. 

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Chris about covering football everyday for ESPN, telling uplifting positive stories, his faith testimony, how his mom's passing encouraged him in his walk with the Lord and why he wants to live a sermon rather than preaching a sermon.

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 19, 2019

Episode 267

Seth Morrison is the lead guitarist for the band Skillet. He joined the group in 2011 and has shared the stage with many well-known artists such as Disciple, Kutless, Sanctus Real, Tait, Audio Adrenaline, Relient K, TobyMac, Kirk Franklin and many more. 

A die-hard sports fan, Seth pledges his allegiances to the Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Reds and the Ohio State Buckeyes. 

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Seth about his devotion to the Cincinnati Bengals, staying the course as a sports fan, following his call to be a musician, how he came to be a part of the band Skillet, what life on the road is like and reaching music fans in both the Christian and mainstream genres.

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 18, 2019

Episode 266

Hugh Freeze was introduced as the ninth head coach in the history of the Liberty Flames' football program on Dec. 7, 2018. Prior to coming to Liberty, Freeze's collegiate head coaching stops have included Lambuth University (2008-09), Arkansas State (2011) and Ole Miss (2012-16) where he posted a combined 69-32 mark in eight seasons.

In 2017, he resigned from his position at Ole Miss amid an NCAA investigation and evidence of personal misconduct.

Prior to taking over as head coach at Lambuth, Freeze served on the Ole Miss staff from 2005-07, including the final two seasons as an assistant coach.

Before going to Ole Miss, Freeze served 13 years at Briarcrest Christian School (Memphis, Tenn.) as a classroom teacher, coach and administrator. He was the Saints' head football coach from 1995 to 2004, running the no-huddle "spread system" for six years that led to six straight state championship games.

Freeze compiled a 99-23 record while at Briarcrest, which included an undefeated season in 1996 and led the school to state championship titles in 2002 and 2004. Briarcrest won regional titles in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002, and Freeze was named the Region 8-AA Coach of the Year five times and Associated Press Coach of the Year four times.

In 2014, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) awarded Freeze the Grant Teaff Coach of the Year award. Freeze has been heavily involved with FCA during his entire coaching career and has been featured in the FCA Magazine and spoke at FCA functions.

On March 30, Coach Freeze will be a part of GameDay 2019, a groundbreaking event coming to churches to meet men at the intersection of faith and sports. Creating an atmosphere much like a locker room with coaches laying out the big game plan, GameDay engages men in a discussion about how to become the spiritual leader of their families. Its real guys discussing real issues and how to become a better follower of Christ, husband, father, friend and worker. You can sign up for GameDay 2019 by clicking here.

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Coach Freeze about his new role with Liberty and how God has worked in and through his life since the new opportunity came forth.

Mar 15, 2019

Episode 265

Blair Schaefer is a college basketball analyst for the SEC Network. She played her college basketball at Mississippi State where she was a part of a team that made back to back appearances in the Women's National Championship game. 

She was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team and was the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2017-18. A standout guard for Starkville High School, Blair was rated as one of the state’s top players after coming to the Magnolia State from Texas following her sophomore season. She earned all-state honors her junior and senior seasons  after moving to Starkville High School from A&M Consolidated High School in College Station.

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Blair about playing in back to back national title games, the differences in preparation for each game, beating Connecticut and ending their 111 game winning streak, how her faith in Christ was enhanced after her brother suffered a head injury, and what it was like to have her Dad as her coach in college. 

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com

Mar 14, 2019

On this THROWBACK THURSDAY edition of the podcast, we revisit our conversation from Episode 20 with Pastor Louie Giglio of Passion City Church in Atlanta. 

Louie Giglio is the founder of the Passion movement, which exists to call a generation to leverage their lives for the fame of Jesus.

Since 1997, Passion has gathered collegiate-aged young people in events across the U.S. and around the world. At the Passion gathering in January of 2017, more than 55,000 students gathered in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome in one of the largest collegiate gatherings in its history.

Louie is a passionate sports fan, who lives and dies with his Auburn Tigers football team. He’s also a huge fan of Atlanta sports, including the NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons. Giglio pastors tons of athletes in their walk with Jesus Christ and even started Passion City Church with a former NFL kicker, Todd Peterson.

You can listen to the entire interview with Louie from Episode 20 in July of 2017 here

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 13, 2019

Episode 264

Andrew Putnam is a professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He played his college golf at Pepperdine University where he was a 3-time All-American. He made his professional debut in 2011, and he played on the eGolf Professional Tour in 2012.

Putnam won for the first time as a professional in April 2014 at the WNB Golf Classic on the Web.com Tour.  He made his PGA Tour debut at the Shell Houston Open in 2014. 

In August 2018, he gained his first PGA Tour win at the Barracuda Championship near Reno, Nevada. He finished the 2017-18 PGA Tour Season with 5 Top 10s and earned $2,387,382. He finished 35th in the season-long FedEx Cup.

He began the 2019 season in January at the SONY Open in Hawaii where he finished second overall to Matt Kuchar. 

On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Andrew about turning 30 years old, coming to faith in high school, his welcome to the PGA Tour moment with Tom Watson and Tiger Woods, being a part of the PGA Tour Bible study and why he became a part owner in a golf towel company called PlayKleen

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 12, 2019

Darryl Strawberry returns for his second appearance on the podcast. Darryl was selected number one overall in the 1980 MLB Amateur Draft by the New York Mets He made his MLB debut in May of 1983 and was a 7-time All Star for the Mets from 1984-1990. A member of the 1986 World Championship team, Darryl's 252 career home runs remains at the top of the Mets all-time list.

In 1991, Strawberry signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a short stint with the Giants, Strawberry returned to New York and helped the Yankees win 3 World Series titles in 1996, 1998 and 1999. 

After many years of struggling with substance abuse and addiction, Darryl has been sober for over a decade now and spreads the good news of Jesus across the country as a traveling evangelist. 

On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Darryl about why he is traveling the country sharing the Gospel, the biggest struggle for men, why being all in for Christ is the only way, his memories of Gary Carter and Mariano Rivera and his thoughts on guys like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens being kept out of the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 11, 2019

Episode 262

Carson Tinker is a veteran NFL long snapper who played 6 seasons in the NFL with the Jaguars before being released on March 8, 2019. He played his college ball at Alabama, where he won three BCS national championships as a member of Nick Saban's club. 

After going undrafted in 2013, Tinker signed with the Jaguars and has remained with the club for his entire 6 year NFL career. 

In April of 2011, Tinker's story became national news when he was injured in a devastating Alabama tornado that ended up taking the life of his girlfriend Ashley. Carson suffered a broken wrist, a concussion, and other injuries but was able to return to play and contribute to the 2011 and 2012 title teams. 

In 2015, he married Annie and together, the couple has a son named, Carson Jr, a.k.a. ‘Hootie’

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Carson about recovering from injury, his decision to go to Alabama and play for Nick Saban, how his faith has sustained him through the trials and especially in the aftermath of the 2011 tornado. 

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 8, 2019

Episode 261

Selected in the 29th round of the 2002 MLB Amateur Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, Erik Kratz has lived the pro baseball life for the past 17 years.

He would wait eight years until finally making his MLB debut in July 2010 at the age of 30 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His MLB journey has taken him from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, Toronto, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Houston, Pittsburgh and the Yankees in 2017.

In 2018, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers and was part of a team that came within one game of the World Series. In the 2018 NLDS against Colorado, Kratz went 5-for-7 with 2 RBI, including a 3-hit game in the clinching game 3, and was the oldest player to make his postseason debut since Lave Cross of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1905.

On this episode of the podcast, we hear about Erik's first experience in the postseason, how his faith has helped him stay grounded in his career, how much longer he wants to play and the story of him making his Major League debut in 2010 at age 30.

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 7, 2019

On this THROWBACK THURSDAY edition of the podcast, we revisit our conversation from Episode 70 with former NFL player, coach and 2-time Super Bowl champion Bill Curry. 

Bill played in the NFL under legendary coaches Vince Lombradi and Don Shula and snapped the ball to Hall of Famers Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas. 

He coached at Georgia Tech, Alabama and Georgia State and then became an analyst for ESPN where he broadcasted games and appeared on shows such as Mike and Mike in the Morning. 

You can listen to the entire interview with Bill from Episode 70 in January of 2018 here

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 6, 2019

Episode 260

Mark Berokoff is in his sixth year as the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Randall University in Moore, Oklahoma. He has led Randall to three straight NCCAA Division 2 National Championships (16, 17, and 18) and in 2015-2016 was named NCCAA D2 National Coach of the Year award.

On this episode of the podcast, we learn about Randall University, the NCCAA, Coach Randall's faith journey, how he stays grounded after winning 3 straight national championships, and leading through the successes and failures of a long season.

For more log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 5, 2019

Episode 259

Daniel McKim is one of the most unique athletes we've ever had on the podcast. He is one of the best to ever compete in the Scottish Highland Games where he's won three world titles, four national championships and two world records. Training and humor are two of his passions, which has made him a large, funny man who is a sought after athlete, speaker and author. McKim resides in the Kansas City area with his wife, Natalie, and their five boys.

On this episode of the podcast, we learn about Daniel's unique journey to the Scottish Highland games, what type of training he goes through to compete, spiritual battles he's faced on his walk with Christ and how he lives out his faith every day.

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 4, 2019

Episode 258

Lance Berkman played 15 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Astros, Cardinals, Yankees and Rangers. He was a 6-time All-Star and a member of the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals World Series championship team.

Scott Linebrink pitched 12 seasons in the big leagues with 6 different teams from 2000-2011. Scott is the "stewardship coordinator" for Water Mission, a non-profit Christian ministry that looks to provide sustainable safe water solutions to people in need.

On this episode of the podcast, we sat down with Lance and Scott at a conference in Florida and discussed why it is important to use your platform to give back, and how all people, athletes included, are called to live out the Great Commission in their lives.

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Mar 1, 2019

Episode 257

Devin and Jason McCourty made history on February 3, 2019 becoming the first set of twin brothers to play in and win a Super Bowl, beating the Rams in Super Bowl LIII. 

Jason was selected in the 6th round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. After playing 7 years with the Titans, he played one season with the Browns in 2017 and was then traded to the Patriots in March of 2018. He was a key contributor to New England's Super Bowl run.

Devin was selected in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots and has played his entire career with the Pats. The 2-time Pro Bowl safety has played in five Super Bowls, winning three. 

On this episode of the podcast, co-host Wesley Woodyard of the Tennessee Titans joins Jason Romano in a poignant conversation with the McCourty twins, looking back at what it was like to win a Super Bowl together as twin brothers, the bond of faith that they share and an update on Devin and Jason's immediate football future. 

For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

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