The Best of the Sports Shop

The Sports Shop welcomes college football analyst C.L. Brown to discuss Clemson–UNC, Louisville–SMU, LSU–Ole Miss and the PROTECT College Sports Act’s potential impact on student-athletes.

We'll touch on how grief is not limited to death, how it can show up emotionally and physically, why there is no "right" way to grieve, when grief may be affecting daily functioning, and when counseling can help. 

Drew is  around 225 miles from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh, Oct. 1-3, as part of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer ride. The ride raises money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, and Bristol Myers Squibb is matching donations dollar-for-dollar, up to $550,000.

Reese, Pam & Kmac discuss upcoming match up between Alabama and Florida State. Kmac thinks that Coach Norvel may lose his job if Seminoles lose on Saturday.

Reese and Pam discuses Patrick Mahomes returning after being injured last year. Kenneth Walker III (K9) will be the difference this year, 

The Sports Shop crew and callers recap the weekend’s biggest football results, from HBCU action to spirited NFL debates about the Eagles, Cowboys and Titans.

The Sports Shop breaks down a busy football weekend, including HBCU results, the latest college football Top 25 rankings and the biggest NFL surprises. The crew also discusses strong performances by the Ravens and Giants, early concerns surrounding the Cowboys and Rams, and Deshaun Watson’s return to action.

ReeSe and Pam reflects on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, shares personal memories from that tragic day, and honors the lives forever affected. The crew also updates listeners on the Eagle–Aggie Classic Watch Party and discusses the latest football action.

The Sports Shop crew reviews the latest ACC basketball schedules before a spirited debate over Jalen Hurts, Drake Maye, AJ Brown and why the grass isn’t always greener after leaving a winning team.

The Sports Shop welcomes C.L. Brown for a spirited college football conversation covering Clemson’s struggles, Dabo Swinney’s reluctance to embrace the transfer portal, and why quarterback play remains critical to a program’s success. The crew also discusses Louisville, potential ACC surprise teams, Alabama’s upcoming matchup with Kentucky, North Carolina quarterbacks making an impact in the SEC, and the highly anticipated Eagle-Aggie Classic.

Forget booster handshake deals under the table—college athletics has officially transformed into a multi-million-dollar payroll operation.

On this edition of The Best of the Sports Shop, the guys dig into the brand-new reality of NIL and athlete compensation.

Subscribe to The Best of the Sports Shop for unfiltered analysis, daily sports debates, and the real business behind the games.

Tatiana Jackson previews the fifth annual SAS Championship HBCU Invitational, featuring 15 golf teams, career opportunities, networking with SAS executives and the chance for student-athletes to play alongside the professionals.

Week 1 of the college football season did not disappoint, delivering pure madness, wild controversy, and statement performances from opening night through Labor Day weekend.

On this edition of The Best of the Sports Shop, the guys dive into everything that went down across the country:

• The Controversy at the Big House: Breaking down Michigan’s wild escape over Western Michigan—did the clock really hit zero, or was that restored extra second legitimate?

• Statement Wins & Statement Statements: The SEC makes early noise, Lane Kiffin and LSU roll in style, and the contenders separate themselves from the pretenders right out of the gate.

• Overreactions or Reality? What was a real sign of things to come, and what was just first-week rust?

• FCS Shocker Alerts: FCS upsets and overtime thrillers that shook up the opening slate.

Subscribe to The Best of the Sports Shop for daily sports debates, insider analysis, and the culture of the game.

C.L. Brown of the Louisville Courier-Journal breaking down NCAA investigations and their ripple effects across ACC football and basketball.

The Sports Shop welcomes C.L. Brown to examine the latest legal battles reshaping college athletics. The conversation explores NCAA eligibility rules, the controversy surrounding players with previous professional experience, Seth Trimble’s status at Louisville, and whether ongoing lawsuits could create lasting changes across college sports. C.L. also previews Louisville’s highly anticipated football matchup against Ole Miss and explains why Jeff Brohm and the Cardinals could be poised for another statement victory.

An unprecedented legal showdown has hit college athletics: the SEC has taken one of its own founding members, LSU, to federal court over roster eligibility disputes.

On this edition of The Best of the Sports Shop, we cut through the noise and bring in the experts from GRW Law to break down the filings, what’s actually happening behind closed doors, and how this battle could shake the very foundation of conference governance.

Reese, Kmac and Pam speak with Alex Gibson (A-Town) as he leaves the producer chair at The Sports Shop.

Thank you Reese, Kmac, Pam and the Sports Shop callers, listeners and family. I enjoyed this experience. FYI the trees are still treein'

- Alex (A-Town)

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Mike From Cary.

Michael Shelton's (M-Sheezy) producer jersey is in the rafters, and rightfully so. Does Alex (A-Town) deserve a jersey retirement?

- Thank you Mike! It's always a blast when you call in!

~Alex (A-Town)

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Dr. Deborah Stroman.

Dr. Stroman gives Alex (A-Town) a wonderful sendoff while also sharing sound, wise parting words.

- Thank You Dr. Stroman! I appreciate your mentorship, support and wisdom.

~A-Town

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss Russell Westbrook's retirement and his legacy.

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Dr. Robert Foster and discuss Russell Westbrook's legacy.

Dr. Robert Foster joins the Sports Shop to share parting gifts with A-Town.

- Thank You Dr. Robert Foster. I appreciate your appearance on the show and the wonderful gifts. Maybe Michaal Jordan really is the GOAT!

~A-Town

Reese, Pam and Alex discuss the sale of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers sale has been a pretty remarkable turn of events. In 2025, Mark Walter bought majority control of the Lakers from the Buss family at a then-record valuation of $10B. The Buss family kept a minority stake, and Jeanie Buss remained involved as the team’s governor. Now, just about 14 months later, Walter has reportedly agreed to sell controlling interest to a group led by Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger for $12.5B, which would set another record for the most valuable sports franchise sale. The deal still requires NBA approval. Walter would make about $2.5B in value on the transaction in a little over a year. There has also been reporting about federal scrutiny surrounding some of Walter’s financial dealings, leading to speculation that financial or liquidity concerns could have played a role in his decision to sell, although that has not been established as the reason. Under the proposed deal, the Buss family would remain a minority owner, while Iger and Kushner’s group would take control of the franchise.

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss the latest NFL quarterback storylines surrounding the quarterback rooms of the Minneosta Vikings, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons and whether race plays a role in how Lamar Jackson is evaluated and criticized. 

If Lamar Jackson was white or had a lighter complexion, would the narrative surrounding his career be different? Would he face the same level of scrutiny and criticism, particularly when it comes to his passing ability, leadership and playoff performances?

The Minnesota Vikings have named Kyler Murray their starting quarterback over J.J. McCarthy for the 2026 season. McCarthy was expected by many to take over after being drafted 10th overall in 2024, but injuries slowed his development. The The Falcons’ QB room is centered on Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, creating a competition for the starting job. The Cleveland Browns’ QB room features Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, with Dillon Gabriel also somewhat in the mix. Cleveland has not yet settled on its Week 1 starter but is leaning heavily towards Watson or Sanders.