Sports With Friends

94-year-old Stan Fischler began his Hall of Fame journalism career as a publicist for the New York Rangers starting in the 1954–55 NHL season. He is the author of over 100 books, including his most recent, Tales of Brooklyn. In 1973, he entered television broadcasting, serving as an analyst for the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association beginning in the 1973–74 WHA season. After two years covering the Whalers, Fischler joined SportsChannel and covered both the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. After SportsChannel's fall, Fischler joined MSG Network and added the Rangers to his coverage. He covered all three teams until his retirement from on-air work after the 2017-2018 season.
Stan has won seven Emmy awards over his illustrious career. In December 2021, he was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. On October 26, 2022, the New York Islanders unveiled The Stan Fischler Press Level, dedicating UBS Arena's press level to Fischler. Stan continues to write a daily Rangers feature for the Hockey News, and a weekly article for the Devils/NHL website.
In this episode, Fischler demonstrates how, at 94, he is still sharp. He discussed the origins of his hockey fandom and his decision, after his wife Shirley’s passing, to move to Israel to live with his son and his family. Shirley Fischler is an accomplished hockey writer and broadcaster in her own right.

For more info on Tales of Brooklyn, visit https://bit.ly/4eWbKzK

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Rick Rizzs recently ended his longtime role as the Seattle Mariners ' longest-tenured broadcaster. Rizzs began calling Mariners’ games in 1983. He left to work for the Detroit Tigers from 1992 to 1994, and returned to Seattle in that magical 1995 Mariners season. For decades, he worked alongside the Mariners' original voice, Dave Neihaus. His signature home run call, “Goodbye baseball!” is familiar to fans who listened for 41 years. The Mariners recently announced that Rick will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame next season.
In this episode, Rick explains his decision to retire. He discusses his favorite 1995 season and its significance for the franchise's future. He also discussed all of the stars that he saw in a Seattle uniform, including Ken Griffey Jr, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, and Ichiro Suzuki.

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Tommy Hutton recently ended his longtime role as the Miami Marlins TV analyst. Hutton is the longest-tenured broadcaster in Marlins history. Hutton played baseball from 1966-1981 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Montreal Expos. He was famous for hitting .320 against Hall of Famer Tom Seaver.
Hutton joined the broadcast booth in 1982 with the Expos. He then went through the Yankees and Blue Jays booths through the 1980s and 1990s, working for ESPN, ABC, and NBC as well. All this before landing with the Florida Marlins in time for their inaugural television season in 1997.
Hutton left the team in 2015 during an ownership change, only to return six years later.
In this episode, Hutton discusses his decision to retire and what he will miss most about the Marlins and baseball. He also recounts the two championship Marlins clubs and the challenges the team faces in their ballpark in South Florida.

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The 2026 College Football season is underway, and controversy between Louisiana State University and the Southeastern Conference came to a head when members of the conference were planning to vote the Tigers out of the SEC. It stems from LSU’s attempt to add two players, Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris. These two players had signed NFL preseason contracts and were attempting to return to play college football at LSU.

Amanda Christovich is a reporter for Front Office Sports and has been at the forefront of this case. Christovich covers the business of college sports after stints at USA Today and the Wall Street Journal.

In this episode, Christovich explains how this case played out and what the future is for both LSU, the SEC, and all of College Football. She also talks about NIL money, the transfer portal, a potential super league, and what’s next for LSU coach Lane Kiffin.

While Amanda is a great reporter, Syracuse fans must take heart that she is a Georgetown alum.

Follow Amanda’s work at https://frontofficesports.com/author/amanda-christovich/.

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Elise Woodward was named the new radio voice of Washington Huskies College Football in July 2026. She is believed to be the first full-time female radio play-by-play voice in FBS football, taking over after 23 years as a sideline reporter on the radio broadcasts. She replaces Tony Castricone, who called Husky games for nine seasons before leaving to join the NNFL'sTampa Bay Buccaneers. Castricone replaced legendary voice Bob Rondeau, who called games for 37 years until his retirement after the 2017 season.

Woodward is a veteran broadcaster with more than thirty years of experience. She is currently the Voice of the WWNBA's Portland Fire and has served as Washington football's sideline reporter for over two decades. In addition, Woodward has been a local broadcaster for the Seattle Storm and Seattle SuperSonics – hosting pregame, halftime, and postgame radio shows. She has been one of the play-by-play voices for ESPN's coverage of the NCAA® Women's Basketball Tournament for over a decade. Woodward has called games on FOX, Big Ten Network and Pac-12 Network for a wide range of sports, including football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball, gymnastics, track and field and lacrosse. She has also called basketball conference championship games for the WCC, WAC, Ivy League and American Conference. Woodward is a two-time Emmy nominee and hosted her own sports talk show on Sports Radio KJR in Seattle for more than a decade.

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Hall of Famer Dan Issel is the all-time leading scorer at the University of Kentucky, the second-leading scorer of all time for the NBA's Denver Nuggets, and the second-leading scorer of all time for the ABA. Issel played for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA and later played for the Nuggets. Recently, Issel was featured in an Amazon Prime Video documentary entitled "Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association."

In 1997, Issel began hosting a radio show on a then-fledgling radio station, "AM 950 The FAN" KKFN in Denver, Colorado, where he worked with a young Seth Everett. This episode ends with stories from that time.

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On May 19, 2026, Arsenal were crowned the 2025-2026 Premier League champions. It was Arsenal's first league title since the 2003–04 season. They held a parade in North London, celebrating their title. Mikel Arteta coaches them.

Journalist Natasha Henry has worked in sports media for years, based in England. She has been an Arsenal supporter her whole life, and brings that enthusiasm to the podcast.

In this episode, they discuss the unique relationship that exists between the fans and the club, and how that has evolved over the years. They also talk about the Louis Dunford song “Th' Angel (North London Forever)” becoming an Arsenal anthem after Arteta introduced it to the players. They discuss the stardom of Bukayo Saka, and the chances of repeating as Premier League champions, as well as trying once again to win their first-ever Champions League. They discuss how Arsenal's social media global following is six times that of the most popular USA team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

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On June 13, 2026, the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 4 games to 1 to claim their first title since the 1972-1973 season. The championship captivated New York, a city that was starved for a major pro championship.

Game 4 saw the Spurs take the largest halftime lead of any visiting team in Finals history, then the Knicks overcame the largest deficit in Finals history to win. It was the first Finals series since 1975 in which a single point won multiple games. It was the first Finals ever in which the teams were within five points of each other in the final five minutes of each game. The average margin of victory was just four points. The Spurs built double-digit leads in all these games, but lost four of them.

It was the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998, with an average of 20.6 million viewers per game.

Alan Hahn is a broadcaster during Knicks broadcasts on MSG Network and a radio host on ESPN New York. He has covered the Knicks for twenty years. Hahn spent 16 years as a writer at Newsday, where he covered every major professional sports team in the New York area, including five seasons as the Knicks beat reporter. He also previously served as an Islanders reporter and NHL writer.

In this episode, Hahn recounts the historic Knicks run. He also addresses some of the storylines and controversies over the season, including that historic Game 4 comeback and President Donald Trump attending Game 3. He also paid tribute to two historic broadcasters, Al Trautwig and John Andreise.

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Longtime ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas has been with the network since 1995. He is featured on ESPN’s game and studio coverage and calls the top men’s college basketball games involving the nation’s marquee teams and conferences every week throughout the season. In 2024, he joined ESPN’s NBA commentator team as a game analyst. Bilas is a nine-time Emmy nominee: Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Analyst (2007, 2008, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) and Outstanding Sports Personality – Event Analyst (2016, 2017, 2019). In 2016, Bilas received the prestigious Curt Gowdy Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2022, Bilas was selected for induction into the Southern California Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bilas is participating in Lake Tahoe’s American Century Championship. The American Century Championship is a made-for-TV event owned and broadcast by NBC Sports. The premier celebrity golf tournament, which also raises funds for local and national charities, awards a $750,000 purse. The tournament is a 54-hole modified Stableford format that features some of sports and entertainment’s greatest celebrities.

In this episode, Bilas speaks about the current landscape of college basketball and how it differs from that of college football. He also addresses the incredible talent in the NBA and how he cherishes covering that league as well.

Fans can get involved and play Fantasy Golf with the participants in Lake Tahoe. This year’s tournament is July 8-12, 2026. For more info, https://www.accfantasygolf.com/.

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First-ballot Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz first came on this podcast on Episode 450. The eight-time All-Star and National League Cy Young Award winner is currently FOX MLB’s lead game analyst. He is participating in Lake Tahoe’s American Century Championship. The American Century Championship is a made-for-TV event owned and broadcast by NBC Sports. The premier celebrity golf tournament, which also raises funds for local and national charities, awards a $750,000 purse. The tournament is a 54-hole modified Stableford format that features some of sports and entertainment’s greatest celebrities.

Smoltz is an avid golfer. He finished second twice and third once in the last three ACC events in Tahoe. He is now in the final stage of qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open. The 46th U.S. Senior Open is scheduled for July 2-5 in Columbus, Ohio.

In this episode, Smoltz offered his thoughts on the recent passing of his manager with the Braves, Bobby Cox. He talked extensively about how the role of manager has changed in today’s MLB. He also comments on the increase in playoff teams and the ongoing propensity for strikeouts. He also weighed in on the question of whether Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is the best baseball player ever.

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Legendary college and NFL quarterback Joe Theismann rejoins the show for his fourth appearance. Theismann was an all-pro quarterback for the then-Washington Redskins from 1974 to 1985. His career abruptly ended in ’85 when he was sacked by Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor and broke his leg. Theismann was an NFL broadcaster for ESPN for 20 years, calling games for both Sunday and Monday Night Football.

For 36 of the 37 years, Theismann has been one of the original participants in Lake Tahoe’s American Century Championship. The American Century Championship is a made-for-TV event owned and broadcast by NBC Sports. The premier celebrity golf tournament, which also raises funds for local and national charities, awards a $750,000 purse. The tournament is a 54-hole modified Stableford format that features some of sports and entertainment’s greatest celebrities.

In this episode, Theismann weighs in on his alma mater, Notre Dame’s role in the continually changing college football landscape. He discusses the NFL’s increase in games in Europe and extra midweek matchups. He also weighs in on the current Washington Commanders franchise and the changes there that are connecting the past to the present.

Theismann speaks extensively about the amazing experience with the American Century Championship. Fans can get involved and play Fantasy Golf with the participants in Lake Tahoe. This year’s tournament is July 8-12, 2026. For more info, https://www.accfantasygolf.com/.

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Bobby Cox was a Baseball Hall of Fame manager who led the Atlanta Braves to five National League pennants and a World Series championship in the 1990s and was ranked No. 4 for career victories among major league managers, died on May 9, 2026. His Atlanta teams won division championships 14 consecutive times, from 1991 to 2005. His lone World Series championship came in 1995, when the Braves defeated the then-Cleveland Indians in six games, with the clincher coming on a 1-0 victory behind Glavine’s one-hitter and David Justice’s sixth-inning home run.

Fredi Gonzalez is a longtime friend and coach under Bobby Cox. He joined the show to pay proper tribute to his longtime friend and mentor. Gonzalez managed the Florida Marlins from 2007 to 2010 and replaced Cox with the Atlanta Braves from 2011 to 2016. For four seasons before 2007, he was the third base coach for the Braves under Cox.

In this episode, Gonzalez discusses his longtime relationship with Bobby Cox. He also tells a fascinating story about how he and Bobby both listened to Seth Everett on SiriusXM radio from 2009-2011. Finally, Gonzalez discusses his most recent reunions with Cox, shortly before he died.

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Legendary Yankees play-by-play announcer John Sterling died on May 4th, 2026. His broadcasting career began in the 1970s, but in 1989, he was hired as the radio voice of the New York Yankees. He called their games from 1989-2024, and in the process called 5,060 consecutive games from ’89-’19. He was a 12x Sports Emmy Award winner. His career included calling games for the New York/New Jersey Nets, the New York Islanders, the Baltimore Bullets, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Atlanta Braves. He was a talk show host in New York before the invention of 24-hour sports radio.

Longtime Yankees radio engineer Jack “Candy” Maldonado traveled with John and worked with him for decades. In this episode, he explains what made John so endearing to Yankee fans. He discussed the various partnerships, including working with Michael Kay and Suzyn Waldman. He also told some class Sterling stories, as well as the origin of his nickname after former baseball player Candy Maldonado.

John Sterling was 87.

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14-year NBA veteran Muggsy Bogues is now the general manager of a new Baltimore team in the Hall-of-Famer Tracy McGrady’s Ones Basketball League. Bogues is best known for his ten years as a member of the Charlotte Hornets. He also played for the Washington Bullets (then), Toronto Raptors, and Golden State Warriors. A 5-foot-3-inch-tall Muggsy is the shortest player in NBA history. Bogues finished in the top seven in assists in six consecutive seasons (1989–1995), and in the top ten in steals in three of those seasons. He had 146 career NBA double-doubles.

The OBL has launched a new “Battle of the Cities,” which will feature an expanded version of the original OBL, with elite one-on-one athletes tied to the city where they grew up, played, and/or call home. Each city-based team will have a four-person roster, comprised of players who best reflect the tradition, values, and basketball culture of the city the 1 v 1 team represents, hand-selected by the Owners/GMs. Bogues is the GM of his hometown team in Baltimore.

In this episode, Bogues talks about the origin of his nickname, his long career, especially in Charlotte. He also talked about how he got involved with the OBL. He also addressed tanking and load management in today’s NBA. He also discusses being in Space Jam and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Finally, he tells an amazing story about meeting Prince.

For more information on the Ones Basketball League: https://oblhoops.com/

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Rory McElroy is the 2026 Masters Champion. It's his 6th major victory and his second straight Masters title. After squandering a record six-stroke lead in Saturday's third round, McIlroy briefly lost the lead again Sunday before taking control on the second nine at Augusta National to become the first back-to-back Masters champion since Tiger Woods in 2001-02 and the fourth overall (Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo).

Bob Harig is a senior writer covering golf for Sports Illustrated. He has more than 25 years of experience on the beat, including 15 at ESPN. He recently released his 3rd golf book, entitled "Tiger v. Jack: Golf's Great Debate."

In this episode, Harig discusses McElroy's victory and how it cements his career. He also commented on the new broadcasters covering the event, including CBS, ESPN, and now Amazon Prime Video. Harig also discusses the recent issues surrounding golf legend Tiger Woods. He also addressed the ongoing saga between the PGA and LIV Golf.

For more info on Tiger v. Jack, click here: https://a.co/d/0dHU5v3t

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2026 is most likely going to be a significant season both on the field and off. Popularity for the sport is on the rise, yet an impending labor negotiation hangs over the game. 22 of 30 teams are broadcasting their games without a deal with a regional sports network. The last postseason was iconic, and baseball is looking for an encore. There are new rules and new partnerships as well.

Jayson Stark is the senior writer of MLB at The Athletic. A true hall-of-fame, Stark was the 2019 winner of the BBWAA Career Excellence Award, for which he was honored. Jayson has covered baseball for more than 30 years. He spent 17 of those years at ESPN. He is the author of three books on baseball and has won an Emmy for his work on" Baseball Tonight."

In this episode, Stark talks about baseball, building on last season's thrilling postseason. He also discusses the revenue disparity stemming from the new streaming deals. Stark also touches on the impending labor issues and changes at the MLBPA.

Finally, Stark regales with some great stories about the late Scott Miller, the longtime baseball writer who passed away in 2025.

For more info on Jayson Stark: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/jayson-stark/

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Sports with Friends celebrates Women’s History Month, continuing with a long line of amazing female guests. Rachel Herzog is the Pre/Post Game host of the New Jersey Devils on MSG Networks. She is currently in her second season. Herzog played both high school and college hockey, the latter at St. Cloud State University. Before her work in New Jersey, she worked at WDAY in Fargo, North Dakota, as a sports anchor/reporter.In this episode, Herzog tells the amazing story of how she went from being a hockey player to a hockey broadcaster in a very short time. She discusses the nuances of her job and how her hockey background enhances her on-air performance. She discusses the Devils' season, including how a freak accident involving star Jack Hughes curtailed a promising season. She also mentions Hughes's superstardom since scoring the “golden goal” to win the Gold Medal in the 2026 Olympic final.For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at Mengotomars.com.

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Major League Baseball is undergoing a broadcasting metamorphosis in 2026. 22 of 30 teams have in-market, blackout-free streaming subscriptions available, while 8 remain broadcasting with traditional regional sports networks (RSNs). RSNs such as Sportsnet LA, Sportsnet NY, YES Network, and NESN pay their respective clubs' rights fees that dwarf the revenue from the 22 streaming teams. This revenue inequality will greatly impact competition on the baseball field, the only major American sport without a salary cap.

Two highly regarded former baseball executives join the show to give their perspective on the current media landscape. David Samson is a former President of the Miami Marlins and was executive vice president of the Montreal Expos. Jim Duquette is a former general manager of the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets.

In this episode, both explain the current changes in club revenues. They discuss the 2-time World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the highest payroll, and the signings of free agents Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz in the off-season. They also comment on the upcoming labor negotiations as the sport faces the end of its current collective bargaining agreement.

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Longtime Pittsburgh sportscaster and Syracuse alum Tim Benz discusses his career and issues facing the Steel City. Benz has been covering Pittsburgh sports since 2001. In addition to writing for TribLIVE, he is a Steelers radio host on FOX Sports Radio Pittsburgh 970 AM and a contributor to WTAE-TV, WDVE, and WXDX-FM. He is a part of the Class of 1996 at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School and WAER Radio.

In this episode, Benz explains what it is like to cover the team he grew up rooting for as a kid. He also discusses his various roles in Pittsburgh media. Sports topics include Mike McCarthy as the new Steelers coach and Aaron Rodgers’s potential return as the Steelers' QB. He also compares Penguins greats Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux and discusses the Pirates' optimism amid the changing MLB media landscape.

For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at Mengotomars.com

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On February 8th, 2026, the Seattle Seahawks face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California. This preview features two special guests. Dave Wyman is a former NFL linebacker and the radio analyst for the Seattle Seahawks. He also hosts 2 pm-7 pm PT on Seattle Sports 710 and SeattleSports.com. Whyman played nine seasons for the Seahawks and Denver Broncos.

Pete Kendall also joined the show. The veteran offensive lineman played twelve seasons for the Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and Washington then-Redskins. He played college football at Boston College. He also grew up and currently lives in Massachusetts. His son, Drew, has played for the Philadelphia Eagles since 2025.

In this episode, both Wyman and Kendall discuss the upcoming game, which is expected to be close. Wyman discusses his transition to the broadcast booth. Kendall discusses the game from both Seattle and New England's perspective.

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