Sports With Friends – Details, episodes & analysis

This episode continues the tradition of being the last episode of the calendar year 2024. Since 2017, Scott Seidenberg has joined this final episode. The title says it all. “2 Jews Hanging Out on Christmas Day” was born out of necessity when the show first started having sponsors. Now, Scott rejoins the show every year to lament the year and talk about the goings-on in the sports world. With his 7th appearance, Scott has supplanted LaTroy Hawkins as having been on the most of anyone in the nearly 500 episodes of this podcast. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from everyone involved in Sports w/Friends. See you in 2025!

Former MLB Outfielder Johnny Damon played in the big leagues from 1995-2012. He came up with the Kansas City Royals and after a short stint with the Oakland A's, Damon signed a four-year contract with the Boston Red Sox. During his Red Sox tenure, he participated in the iconic ALCS between the Red Sox and the New York Yankees in 2003 and 2004. He also was a part of the '04 World Series championship, erasing the team's 86-year-old “Curse of the Bambino.” In 2006, he signed a free-agent contract with the archrival Yankees, ultimately winning his second World Series championship in 2009. In this episode, Damon discusses a new venture he's involved in with a new sports drink entitled “A-Game.” He also explains the process of leaving Boston for New York and how the Red Sox didn't offer him a contract. He also explains in detail the impact of former teammate Cory Lidle's untimely death from a plane crash in 2006 had on his life and career. He also talked about the 2005 movie “Fever Pitch,” and the impact that had on the 2004 team, and the fandom that followed it. Finally, he discusses the changes he sees in baseball since his playing career, including the recent mega-contract that Juan Soto signed with the Mets. For more information about A-Game: https://drinkagame.com/

Kevin Brown recently completed his 6th season calling Orioles games on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Brown is a graduate of Syracuse University and worked in Syracuse with the AAA-baseball team, the Syracuse Chiefs. He is also a play-by-play announcer for ESPN. In this episode, Brown tells the story of his ascension to his current position with the O's. He also addressed the controversy last year where he was removed from the booth for a short time and the outpouring of support from the baseball, broadcast, and fan community. He also talked about the unique brethren Syracuse alums are in the broadcast industry, and comments on the various Cuse alums in the baseball broadcast industry.

In December 2022, the National Football League announced that its Sunday Ticket package, which had been on DirecTV for decades, had signed a 7-year agreement with Google to put the package on YouTube TV and YouTube Premium Channels. The new Sunday Ticket deal could be worth as much as $2.5 billion annually, including payments from YouTube and separate agreements to license the package to businesses including bars and restaurants. RedZone, a popular feature that allows fans to monitor Sunday games when teams get within scoring range, will no longer be available on DirecTV, but the N.F.L. will continue producing its own version of the broadcast. Tom Richardson is SVP of Strategy and Business Development for Mercury Intermedia, a leading cross-platform application development company with clients such as Comcast, Red Bull Media, and TED. He also is a professor at Columbia University's Sports Management Graduate Department teaching Digital Sports Media and Marketing. Follow Tom on social media at @ConvergenceTR.

On Monday, January 2nd, 2023, the Buffalo Bills played the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. After a tackle of receiver Tee Higgins during the 1st quarter, Bills Safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and had to be administered CPR on the field. Hamlin was eventually revived and then taken in an ambulance to a local hospital. The game was eventually suspended. The NFL said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that the game will not be resumed this week and that no decision has been made regarding playing the remainder of it at a later date. David Moulton is a broadcaster on the Florida Sports Network. He is also a spotter/statistician for Troy Aikman on the Monday Night Football broadcast. Moulton was in the booth when Hamlin went down. He joined the show to provide an eyewitness account of what he saw, what he had access to, and the feel in the stadium while the whole event was happening. Follow David Moulton on social media @THEDavidMoulton.

It has been five years since Scott Seidenberg, now a Sportsbetting host/Pro at Pregame.com joins the show. Back in 2018, the show was supposed to be posted on Christmas Day, and there was no episode ready to go. Enter Scott, as he and Seth and many other people who do not celebrate Christmas usually spend it eating Chinese food and watching sports and cartoons. That year, they got together and talked about the year in sports. Then, in 2019, they did it again. Now, as 2022 comes to a close, Scott rejoins the show to talk about a potpourri of sports topics, including the recent deal between the NFL and YouTube about the Sunday Ticket. They also discussed the early success of Seths hockey team, the New Jersey Devils, the 2022 World Cup, its impact on soccer in the US, player contracts in sports, and much more. Follow Scott on social media @Scottsonair.

For 14 seasons, Scott Hanson has hosted the NFL Red Zone, presented by NFL Network. A longtime TV sportscaster, Hanson joined NFL Network in 2006. In 2009, the NFL launched its own Red Zone channel, a counterpart of DirecTVs version that comes as part of the Sunday Ticket Package. That Red Zone is hosted by two-time Sports with Friends guest Andrew Siciliano. Ironically, Hanson is also a graduate of Syracuse University. In this episode, he discusses the evolution of the show he hosts, and how the NFL has done a big job of airing this channel on a number of cable outlets and streaming services, outside of DirecTV. He talks about what goes into the broadcast and gives great details on what it takes on an NFL Sunday to put that show together. Hanson also gives his preferences for the number of games during a show, and how there is always at least one wild finish. Seth began watching the NFL Red Zone via Hulu in 2021 and explains how it has impacted his football viewership. Seth also thinks he met Scott as a freshman when Hanson was a senior. Follow Scott Hanson on social media @ScottHanson.

Two major off-the-field sports stories broke, and this episode focuses on both. In Qatar, noted US Soccer Journalist Grant Wahl died in the press box of a World Cup Quarterfinal match. Days prior, 2-time US Gold Medalist and WNBA Superstar Britney Griner was released into US Custody by Russian authorities in a prisoner swap between the US and Russia. This episode is divided into two halves. First, Sports Media reporter Richard Deitsch from the Athletic joins the show to discuss the passing of Wahl. Deitsch and Wahl were colleagues at Sports Illustrated for years. Deitsch addresses questions surrounding Wahls shocking death and eloquently discusses Wahls incredible journalism career. Then, T.J. Quinn, an investigative reporter for ESPN, joins the show for his fourth appearance. Quinn has been at the forefront of the coverage of Griner in Russia from her arrest to her recent release. Quinn talked extensively about Griners case in Episode 359 of the podcast. He discussed his career in Episode 244 and his bout with Long Covid in Episode 319. In this episode, Quinn details the terms of the swap of Griner for a Russian arms dealer. He also talks extensively about US Marine Paul Whelan, who is still in a Russian prison. T.J. addresses many controversies that have surrounded the political ramifications of her release.

Longtime Atlanta talk show host Carl Dukes has known Seth for nearly two decades. Their connection in friendship is due to the friendship with the late Darryl Hamilton. Dukes currently hosts “Dukes and Bell” on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta, Georgia. He also hosts a weekend show nationally on CBS Sports Radio. Dukes was working in Houston when Stayin Hot with Seth & Bone was on MLB Radio. He was a regular contributor, and after Darryls passing in 2015 (which lead in part to the creation of this podcast, something that is explained in the opening of this episode), Carl and Seth bonded over the loss of their great friend. In this episode, they tell the stories of how they got connected, and then discussed the unique intersection of sports and politics going on in Atlanta, Georgia. They discuss former Senator and Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler, to current Senate candidate and Georgia football star Herschel Walker. They also discussed where Dukes feels sports radio is headed in the future… Follow Carl Dukes on social media @putemupcdukes.

Jonathan Zaslow was a radio host in South Florida for nearly two decades. He was a host on 790-The Ticket, and then 560-WQAM. For 12 years, he was the pre/post-game host of the Miami Heat. In 2022, Zaslow was let go by Audacy, the company that owns both radio stations. The Ticket is no longer a sports radio station. Zaslow has recently reinvented himself, starting a podcast, “The Zaslow Show 2.0.” In this episode, Zaslow discusses his South Florida upbringing and his passion for the local teams. He talks about the stigma Miami has as a sports market. He also discusses the ascension of the Miami Dolphins, the popularity of the Miami Heat, and the plight of the Miami Marlins. All local teams are covered. Follow Jonathan Zaslow on social media @ZaslowShow.