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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: October, 2021
Oct 31, 2021

Jonathan Tjarks is a staff writer with The Ringer. In April of 2021, he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer (sarcoma, a rare kind of tumor usually found in children and teens). 

Today, Jonathan Tjarks shares his story of coming to faith and how his walk with Christ has helped him push forward during his battle with cancer. 

You can read the piece he wrote for The Ringer back in May of 2021, "The Long Night of the Soul” here

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Oct 29, 2021

Today on the podcast, we talk to Westlake (TX) high school QB and 5-star Clemson recruit Cade Klubnik about his 2021 season, recovering from injury, being recruited by Clemson, winning the state championship and the importance of playing for an audience of one, Jesus.

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Pre-order our new book: "The Increase 52 Week Devotional: Inspiring Stories of Faith from the World of Pro Sports."

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Oct 27, 2021

Keith Madison served for 25 years as the head baseball coach with the University of Kentucky. Hired at the age of 26 in 1979, he was the youngest head baseball coach in NCAA Division One at the time.

He is the winningest coach in Kentucky Wildcasts history with 737 career victories and was inducted into the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the University of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.

For many years after coaching, Keith served with SCORE international, a Christian Mission Organization leading players and coaches on short term baseball mission trips to the Dominican Republic.

Today on the podcast, Keith shares about his coaching journey, growing up in the 60's, signing a pro baseball contract at 17 years old, walking with God during his wife's breast cancer battle and finding his identity in something other than baseball. 

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Oct 25, 2021

David Klingler played seven seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers. He was selected 6th overall in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Bengals after a stellar college career at the University of Houston that saw him set multiple records and finish as a Heisman Finalist in 1990. 

Among the records Klingler set at Houston include him throwing for 11 touchdown passes in one game on November 17, 1990 against Eastern Washington. In December 1990, he set the NCAA D-1 record for most yards gained a single game with 716 (since surpassed in 2014). 

After his playing career, David obtained his Masters in Theology in 2004 and a PhD in Old Testament Studies in 2010 from Dallas Theological Seminary, where is currently an Associate Professor of Bible Exposition. 

Today on the podcast, we talk to David Klingler about his incredible college football career, getting drafted 6th overall in 1992 by the Bengals and his desire to teach people how to read and understand God's word. 

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Oct 23, 2021

Morgan Burns is a former cornerback and kick returner for the Kansas State Wildcats. His senior year, he returned four kickoffs for touchdowns and earned Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year from the league's coaches. 

After going undrafted in 2016, he signed with the Tennessee Titans but just a few weeks later, he walked away from pro football to pursue ministry where he spent time as a youth pastor at City Church in Wichita, Kansas.

He is currently the lead pastor of a church plant in Wichita (Redeemer Church). 

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Oct 22, 2021

Jade McCarthy talks to Louisiana football coach Billy Napier about growing up in a faith-based family, the impact his dad had on him as a leader, lessons learned from Dabo Swinney and Nick Saban and the gift of opportunity.

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Oct 20, 2021

Tyler Zombro is a pitcher with the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He pitched in college with George Mason University and then signed with the Rays in 2017. After going a few years through the minor league system, Zombro reached as high as AAA in 2019 and in 2021, was back in AAA pitching with the Durham Bulls.

On June 3, 2021, Tyler was facing Brent Cumberland of the Norfolk Tides when a pitch was hit back up the middle at over 100 mph and hit Zombro in the right side of the head just above the ear knocking him unconscious. After being taken to the hospital, neurosurgeons at Duke University Hospital installed 16 plates and 36 screws during 2 1/2 hours of emergency surgery to stabilize Zombro’s skull

Today on the podcast, we talk to Tyler about his journey of baseball, wisdom from his grandfather Wimpy, that scary day in June 2021, his desire to possibly pitch again, the prayer he prays on the mound, and how his faith in God has shown him that he's here for a bigger purpose than baseball. 

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Oct 18, 2021

Monty Williams is entering his third season as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. In 2020-21, he led the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993 and finished second behind Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau for the NBA's Coach of the Year award. 

Prior to his time in Phoenix, Williams had coaching stops in New Orleans, Portland and Oklahoma City. The former player was a No. 1 draft pick by the New York Knicks back in 1994. He played for 10 seasons with the Knicks, Spurs, Nuggets, Magic and 76ers before retiring after the 2003 season. 

Today on the podcast, we talk to Monty Williams about success, humility, the 2021 NBA Finals experience, serving others and the legacy he wants to leave. 

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Oct 16, 2021

Jon Seidl is the author of "Finding Rest: A Survivor's Guide to Navigating the Valleys of Anxiety, Faith and Life." He is also a huge Green Bay Packers fan and has worked with popular organizations like I Am Second and TheCourage and some of the media's biggest names including Glenn Beck, Kirk Cameron and Chip and Joanna Gaines. 

Today on the podcast, Jon shares about his experience attending the Packers Super Bowl parade in 2011, his love for Milwaukee sports, experiencing tragedy and how God has helped him find rest in overcoming the losses of those closest to him.

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Oct 15, 2021

This week's show is a story of trusting in God's plan and following a new direction with former NFL wide receiver Chansi Stuckey. 

Chansi discusses his new coaching role with Baylor, the 5-1 start for the Bears, how God took him through uncertainty and brought him into coaching and what he learned from playing with Brett Favre during his time with the Jets.

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Oct 13, 2021

Jeff Allen has been the Director of Sports Medicine with the University of Alabama since 2007. During his time at Alabama as their head Athletic Trainer, he's been a part of six national championships and is considered one of the most respected athletic trainers in the country. 

Prior to this time with the Crimson Tide, Allen served as the head athletic trainer at Tennessee-Chattanooga and Central Florida. 

Today on the podcast, we talk to Jeff about his journey to Alabama, why Nick Saban believed in him, how playing football helped guide him to becoming an athletic trainer and why his faith is crucial to the way he does his job and lives his life. 

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Oct 11, 2021

Johnathan Franklin is a former NFL running back. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In college at UCLA, Franklin had a standout career rushing for a school record 4,403 yards and 31 touchdowns. 

In his senior year of 2012, he led UCLA to a Pac-12 South Division championship rushing for 1,734 yards and 13 touchdowns. Expectations were high for the Los Angeles native and when he arrived at Green Bay, he immediately made an impact, rushing for 103 yards in Week 3 against Cincinnati. But in week 12 against the Vikings, Franklin suffered a neck injury that would end his football playing career at the age of 24.

Today on the podcast, we talk to Johnathan Franklin about his career-ending injury, what he learned from God during that dark time, how he was able to push forward and find new purpose and why he's excited to be in his front office role with the Los Angeles Rams. 

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Oct 9, 2021

Caleb Kaltenbach is the executive director of the Messy Grace Group and the author of God of Tomorrow and Messy Grace, the story of being raised by three activist gay parents, accepting Jesus, and seeing his parents trust Jesus.

Today on the podcast, Jason and Caleb share their mutual love for football, Star Wars, Karate Kid, Marvel movies and whether Patrick Mahomes is the greatest KC Chiefs player ever. Then halfway through the podcast, we hear Caleb's incredibly powerful story and talk about his books Messy Grace and Messy Truth. 

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Oct 8, 2021

It's a FOOTBALL FRIDAY. Today, Brock Huard talks to coach Hugh Freeze about the 2021 Liberty Flames, coaching QB Malik Willis, his faith in Jesus and the importance of staying humble. 

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Oct 6, 2021

Paul Mills is the men's head basketball coach at Oral Roberts University. For fourteen years from 2003-2017, Mills was an assistant coach with the Baylor Bears under head coach Scott Drew before taking the job with Oral Roberts on April 28, 2017.

In the 2020-2021 season, Mills led Oral Roberts on an improbable March Madness run that saw them defeat No. 2 seed Ohio State and No. 7 seed Florida to advance to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to Arkansas 72-70. They were just the second 15 seed to ever advance to the Sweet Sixteen in the history of the NCAA Tournament.

Today on the podcast, we talk to coach Paul Mills about his incredible March Madness run, the lessons learned from success and defeat, using the national platform as an opportunity to share the Gospel and his love for the movie Hoosiers.

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Oct 4, 2021

Mike Donehey is a singer/songwriter and the former lead man with Tenth Avenue North. 

In 2019, Donehey released his first book, "Finding God's Life For My Will" and in August 2021, he released his first solo album, "Flourish."

Today on the podcast, Mike Donehey shares about pivoting from Tenth Avenue North, releasing his new album, wrestling with jealousy and comparison and his struggle with victimhood and identity. 

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Oct 2, 2021

Brett Hagler is the CEO and Co-Founder of New Story and a cancer survivor. Brett’s been recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2016, named one of the Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs, and his company was named among Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies in the World” four different times.

Today on the podcast, Brett shares how a high school basketball career was derailed after being diagnosed with cancer at age 18. He also talks about leadership and how his relationship with Christ guides the work that he does in helping others across the world with New Story. 

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Oct 1, 2021

Today we talk to Dr. Derwin Gray, pastor of Transformation Church near Charlotte, NC and former NFL safety about his pro football career, sacking Jim Kelly and Dan Marino, intercepting passes from Steve Young, playing in the 1995 AFC Championship Game, and how he went from being a player to a pastor. 

Derwin's new book "GOD, DO YOU HEAR ME?" releases October 5, 2021. 

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