Nothing Personal with David Samson

Today’s word of the day is ‘fool’ as in April Fool as in Jurickson Profar as in the Atlanta Braves as in disaster. That’s right we have our first PED suspension of the big league season and Profar is done for 80 games. Fool! Can the Braves rebound from this dreadful start? (13:00 ) Rafael Devers still can’t hit. Still can’t make contact. Historically bad start. But the team did sign Garrett Crochet for a record deal! Happy! (21:25) Athletics played in Sacramento. Minor league ballpark. And they got crushed. And a drone stopped the game. And the media center is a tent. (33:00) Review: The Room Next Door. (35:13) Browns owner Jimmy Haslam finally admitted what we all know… the Deshaun Watson trade as a disaster. (42:40) Woody Johnson met the media and said the Jets moved on from Aaron Rodgers but wasn’t his choice! Also talked about buyouts for employees. Also mentioned the NFLPA being a joke. What a guy! (50:08) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’damn’ as in Damn the Torpedos are is Yankees as in baseball as in new bats. What do you think about these new bats? Aaron Judge doesn’t use them. A bunch of other Yankees who homered did. Is MLB going to get rid of these? (18:20) Max Scherzer is hurt. Max Scherzer told us he was going to get hurt. (24:40) Rafael Devers has been historically bad to start the season. Strike outs everywhere. Can’t hit. Can’t make contact. (34:21) Review: Reacher Season 3. (36:00) Let’s talk about what MLB did about Opening Day. They gave customers who missed out due to some tech issues a discount on merch. (42:40) NPPOD. (45:00) The Final Four on the men’s side is set. It’s all top seeds. (48:00) The Memphis Grizzlies fired its head coach with 10 games left. A 4/5 seed in the NBA. Why now? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’undefeated’ as in who is rooting for a team that won yesterday? (Except the Cubs) Dodgers win again. Yankees started with a win. Juan Soto had a chance for the Mets and didn’t get it done. The Orioles looked hot. Baseball is back! (10:43) Vladdy Jr reportedly got a new deal offered to him by the Blue Jays. (18:20) MLB had a problem. Streaming was down. App was down. Uh oh. (23:30) The media problems never end! What about the Yankees and Comcast? More problems! (35:00) Review: Last Breath. (38:20) NPPOD. (43:00) Adam Silver had to meet the media yesterday and he had a lot to say. All Star Game problems. Expansion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’holiday’ as in Opening Day as in baseball is back as in let’s go! There are so many great games today! Keep your hopes up! Your team has a chance! (9:08) Rob Manfred made his media rounds yesterday and had a lot to say about a lot. He commented on Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers, ESPN, and more! (17:20) MLB win totals! Let’s make some magic! (24:10) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about Rafael Devers, Alex Bregman, and the Red Sox decision making. (34:23) Review: The Killing Fields. (39:00) The Boston Celtics sale has hit a snag. Can Bill Chisholm not afford it? Is there too much private equity involved? (45:40) NPPOD. (47:20) LeBron went on the Pat McAfee show and let everyone have it. He spoke about MJ, his son, Stephen A, reporters. Everyone! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’predictions’ as in Major League Baseball as in baseball as in Opening Day as in World Series as in MVP as in baseball! Let’s jump right into the biggest storylines! (16:00) What are the biggest storylines I’m following this year!? (27:25) Review: The Brutalist. (32:20) NPPOD. (37:30) Let’s talk division winners! (45:40) Wild Card time! (48:00) World Series time! (49:40) Award time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’bar’ as in raise the bar as in set the bar as in expectations as in Paul Skenes. He’s entering Year 2. Opening Day starter. Cy Young favorite. He spoke with a reporter about what he thinks of the Pirates. What he means to the team. (9:20) Andrew Miller spoke yesterday about salary caps and dynasties in baseball. He now works for the MLBPA. (18:40) The Minnesota Twins want to sell. The Twins owners want $1.7 billion. The Twins hold a ton of debt. The Twins will still sell. (26:01) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about the Giants and Red Sox approaches to the game and spending. Who will be right? (37:00) A national security failure already. What a world we live in. (43:55) NPPOD. (46:15) The college basketball transfer portal has opened up. A record number of players in there. The system is broken. It’s all broken! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’crystal ball’ as in seeing into the future as in MLB season is here as in rosters as in cuts as in rotations as in big decisions. From Mookie Betts being sick to Jordan Montgomery not making the rotation to Mitch Haniger being cut by the Mariners. There are so many decisions being made this week; forced or chosen. (15:45) The March Madness is madness’ing this year. No Cinderellas. Only power conferences. (32:50) Review: Severance Season 2. (36:08) Dan Hurley is the most outspoken coach in college basketball right now. Love him or hate him, but he’s going to say what’s on his mind. Is an ACC/Big East merger coming? (45:30) NPPOD. (46:45) Let’s talk about what MLB quietly did over the weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome in Mike Matheny! 4x time Gold Glove winning catcher! Former manager of the Cardinals and Royals! He’s also an author! He takes us inside the process of his new book The Dad Coach - How to Lead Kids to Succeed On and Off the Field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’consortium’ as in the Boston Celtics as in the NBA as in ownership as in $6.1 billion. Wow. How are these teams being paid for? What does the future of ownership look like? Is expansion coming? (12:50) The Los Angeles Angels have banned cell phones from the clubhouse. That will do the trick! The losing is over! (20:20) Is ESPN looking to get back into business with MLB? Maybe! (33:41) Review: Flow. (36:09) NPPOD. (47:12) Michigan had a problem. Now the former co-offensive coordinator has even bigger problems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’yen’ as in dollars as in business as in Major League Baseball as in MLB Tokyo Series as in Dodgers as in Cubs. Let’s focus on the money. This is a huge success for baseball. Roki Sasaki made his debut for the Dodgers today and you could see the stuff he has, but the command was off. 100 mph fastballs. Bad placement. But he got out without getting shelled. Ohtani got his first home run of the year… but was it one? (20:30) Is the NHL really going to get back into business with Russia? Well, that’s what Trump and Putin are saying. But, how does the NHL feel about that? (33:31) Review: The Last Showgirl (36:00) Private equity isn’t going anywhere. Now the San Francisco Giants are involved. Even more than before. (44:50) Is the Aaron Rodgers saga coming to a close? Maybe. The Vikings are reportedly out! (49:45) NPPOD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’good morning’ as in MLB Tokyo as in Dodgers as in Cubs as in baseball is back! The Tokyo Series is here. The crowd has been roaring for Shohei Ohtani. Baseball is back! (6:10) WV Governor is wants an investigation into the NCAA. What is happening? Is this The Onion? (12:40) What happened in the NIT? Was it any better there? NOPE! Look at South Alabama! (19:42) Are the Minnesota Twins ever going to stay healthy? Can it happen this year? Royce Lewis is hurt again. Byron Buxton has yet to play a full season. Carlos Correa is coming off injury. (25:10) Max Scherzer has a thumb problem. How bad could this get? (32:30) Review: The Franchise. (35:20) The Marlins can not have a practice squad. Sorry! (37:00) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about the BEARS Act in Illinois. What in the world is this!? (42:40) Are the Pittsburgh Pirates choosing not to spend? Can the Pirates afford more? Are the Pirates pocketing money? (50:00) NPPOD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’commencement’ as in MLB as in Tokyo as in Dodgers as in Cubs as in regular season! Opening Day is tomorrow. The season starts. The Road to October is here. (8:11) The Vedder Cup is here! What in the world? Well, it’s a new series cup for the Mariners and Padres rivalry game! Will the fans care? The players? The teams? (18:55) March Madness is here. Drama is here. Conspiracy is here. North Carolina makes the tournament as its AD is the head of the committee. Wow. (34:20) Review: Adolescence. (39:45) What is the latest on the Tampa Bay Rays? Is there a new deal on the horizon? (47:30) The Bengals signed their WR duo to record deals. Will they be the Eagles or will they be the Dolphins? (51:00) NPPOD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’check’ as in not check mate yet as in the Rays as in St. Pete as in Tampa as in new stadium. Here we are again. The Rays have announced they are not moving forward with a new stadium in St. Pete right no. Nice. So now what? Is this just more negotiating? Is this the team trying to get to Tampa? Is a sale coming? (19:20) We have more owner fights about to start. This time it’s Rockies owner Dick Monfort publicly calling for salary caps. And the Reds owner is in on it too. (25:30) The Marlins want to hire you. Seriously. You can go play for the team! (34:25) Review: Babygirl. (36:40) Should Cooper Flagg sit out the tournament? (41:00) Marquette head coach Shaka Smart says he will not negotiate deals with agents of players. They get paid what they get paid, and that’s it. (46:25) UNLV cannot pay its head coach Dan Mullen. What? (52:04) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’velocity’ as in fastball as in baseball as in Jacob deGrom as in Tommy John. The Texas Rangers have a major deGrom problem. They paid him to pitch and he doesn’t pitch. How can they keep him healthy? (13:00) Bobby Witt Jr. had an injury scare yesterday. Got hit by a pitch and went down. How does it feel to be in the front office watching this happen? (18:00) Josh Allen spoke after getting his big deal. He said he took less money so the team could sign some more players. Good for him. (26:20) The Jets have officially released Aaron Rodgers. What’s he going to do? (32:30) Review: Jerry Maguire. (38:00) NPPOD. (42:30) The Utah Jazz were fined for not making players available for national games. The tank is on. Fail for Flagg! (45:10) Apple and MLS was never a good deal. MLS needs more viewers. It needs more reach. Is it time to call this broadcast deal a failure? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’icon’ as in Shohei Ohtani as in Dodgers as in MLB as in Fortnite as in Demon Slayer. What!? Ohtani is ready to takeover Japan again. But this feels so much bigger. Let’s discuss this series for MLB and the activation of promotion that MLB has done there. (13:20) Vladdy Jr wants $500 million. No deferrals. That was his last offer to the Blue Jays. (23:15) Brian Cashman said exactly what we said! The Yankees will not spend right now on a new starter. Not going to happen. (28:50) Review: The Search for Instagram’s Worst Con Artist. (34:24) The great Junior Bridgeman died yesterday. What a legacy he leaves behind. (36:30) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me about the new MLB Overlap hats from New Era. Who approved them!? (43:33) NBA to NIL is the new way. Steph Curry and Davidson. James Harden and Arizona State. Russell Westbrook and UCLA? (51:30) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’mileage’ as in Gerrit Cole as in Aaron Boone as in the Yankees as in Tommy John. That’s it. Cole’s season is done before the end of March. What a disaster for the Yankees and for Cole. (11:07) The Seattle Mariners are already down a starter. George Kirby is shutdown because of shoulder inflammation. Uh oh. The team says not to be worried, but Mariners fans still are. (24:00) The Dodgers just gave Dave Roberts a huge new deal. Another record-setting contract. Good for him. (33:15) Review: The Girl with the Needle. (35:30) The NFL QB carousel is spinning and spinning and spinning. Seahawks traded one away and signed one. Jets got one. Steelers need one. Giants need one. Vikings need one. (47:01) Former MVP Mo Vaughn admitted to HGH use. He was in the 2007 Mitchell Report, but now he’s on record. (51:20) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’change of heart’ as in Myles Garrett as in the Browns as in Cleveland as in the NFL. Garrett is staying in Cleveland. Wanted out. Browns said no. Browns paid him record-setting money. What happened to winning? (13:30) Josh Allen is the new highest paid player in NFL history. $250 million guaranteed. Sorry, Watson. (18:45) Gerrit Cole could be done for the season. This is a nightmare for the Yankees. (28:50) The Mets will be without catcher Francisco Alvarez for 8 weeks. Here we ago again! (33:45) Review: Goodrich. (36:10) It’s Rays update time. This is a big one. (47:00) The Sacramento Athletics of Las Vegas has a huge announcement. Was it a move? Was it the new stadium? Was it a sale? Nope. It was a new patch. (50:34) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’working’ as in going to work as in Vladdy Jr. as in the Blue Jays as in Juan Soto. What are we talking about? Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said he asked for 14 years but fewer than $600 million. He said he didn’t want Juan Soto money, but he did want the years! Is he going to get close to that? (9:45) The Yankees are falling apart before the season begins. Luis Gil is out. DJ LaMeheiu is out. Giancarlo Stanton is out. (14:50) What is the latest on Shohei Ohtani? Did he have a setback? Is he going to pitch this year? (20:20) So You Wanna Talk to Samson!? Someone asked me if I ever put a player on an innings limit because I knew he’d be traded later in the season… wow. (31:48) Review: All We Imagine as Light. (34:15) Athletics are back in the news. A new team president. New renderings. A new extension to a young player. So much positivity… but where is the stadium? (46:50) NPPOD. (49:20) Mark Cuban shared his thoughts on the Luka Doncic trade. Oh boy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s word of the day is ’truth’ as in Justin Turner as in Seattle Mariners as in MLB as in owners as in spending. Turner was on the Mariners last season. And he has some things to say about the Mariners offseason spending… or lack of it. (11:35) I have an update or correction on the MASN deal between the Orioles and Nationals. (17:11) WBD prez David Zaslav says the company never needed the NBA. He said they have NASCAR and CFP games and soccer games and more! (32:40) Review: La La Land. (37:00) Saquon Barkley record-setting contract. Maxx Crosby record-setting contract. NFL players are getting paid big money. Markets are getting reset. What does it all mean? (46:05) NPPOD. (47:40) Sportswashing is over. It worked. The Saudis have done it. TKO announced a deal with the Saudis to create a boxing league. Dana White will be the face of it. Congrats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices