Podcast

Leon Busby

Published

8 months ago

April 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Speaker 1(00:06):
You’re listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Get your state side with our US sports expert Lyon Busby,
who joins us now Leon, Thanks for your time, Good afternoon,
Hey Finance.

Speaker 3 (00:22):
Great to be back. As always, We’ve got a lot
to cover today. So let’s star straighting today.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, why not, mate, Let’s go with the NFL Draft.
I want to get to the NBA playoffs, but let’s
start with the NFL Draft, which is basically ongoing as
we speak. Maybe to start with Liam, can you just
explain to us how the NFL draft actually works.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
Yes, so a bit of background for your listening audience.
So first hold of nineteen thirty six. It’s in its
ninetieth year. The NFL’s draft is the most highly anticipated
player recruitment event anywhere in team sports. Basically how it
works is each team is given a position in the
drafting order in reverse order relative to its records the
previous season, which means that the team with the worst

(01:04):
regular season record picks and the Super Bowl champion last.
From this position, the team can either select a player
or trade its position to another team for other draft positions,
a player or players or any combination thereof. The round
is compete when each team has either selected a player
or traded its position in the draft. Now, certain aspects

(01:26):
of the draft, including team positioning and the number of
rounds in the draft, have been revised since it’s created,
but the fundamental method has remained the same. Currently, there
are seven rounds taking place in Wisconsin. This year homes
to the historical Green Bay Package, which I’m sure a
lot of people have heard of before. The twenty twenty
five draft will see two hundred and fifty seven players chosen.

(01:48):
The original rationale and creating a draft was to increase
the competitive parity between the teams, as the worst team
would ideally be able to choose the best player available.
One of the big factors today are the importance of
full time scouts who provide detailed, in depth reports on
prospective players entering the league.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Yeah, the rationale is good, isn’t it? It helps I guess
the teams. You know, the weaker teams get the better players.
Well that’s the theory, anyway, Does it always work that way?
How important is getting your draft picks right? If you
are one of the one of the teams down the
bottom to try and get yourself back up.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yes, as I alluded to just previously, planing the drafters
intended to provide greater parity in terms of leveling out
the playing field. So in that respect, it’s vitally important
for teams to get their picks right for their franchise
and to be more competitive all around, and it’s a
better product for the viewing audience. It’s also worth mentioning
pining that for the players themselves hoping to be drafted

(02:47):
this week, and if you’re fortunate enough to be taken
by a team, it’s literally a life changing moment as
a professional athlete, particularly in the NFL. You and your
family are set for life financially with generational wealth. So
it’s almost the kin to winning the lottery.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
All right. So tell us about the top few picks
this year and if there were any surprises among them.

Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yes, the first round there were thirty two picks. As expected,
University of Miami quarterback Cameron Ward was the number one
overall pick, taken by the Titans. He’s expected to make
a big difference to Tennessee’s pass game, which has struggled
in recent years. Nickname of the board was Heisman Trophy
winner Travis Hunter, who is an exceptional counant on both

(03:29):
sides of the ball. The former Colorado Buffalo is a
two way athlete and very unique and that he plays
both offense and defense. He goes to the Jacksonville Jaguars,
and rounding out the top three, the Giants named Penn
State linebacker each Russia Abdul Carter to their roster. Like
the first two picks, he’ve you going to make a
huge difference to New York’s defense up front of the trenches.

(03:52):
On a personal right for you, Pioneer, I know your
son’s a Minnesota fan, and his team selected well, drafting
five star recruit and former Ohio State Buckeye guard Donovan Jackson.
The new Viking recruited fresh of the national total and
will add much needed to steal up front of an
already impressive offensive line. Now you mentioned they’re surprises. Now

(04:12):
I’m glad you asked finally, because the biggest story coming
out of the draft this year so far is the
non selection of a certain individual player. Teammate to Travis
Hunter and former Colorado Buffalo star player should Do at
Sanders was expected by most of mock drafts to go
in the first round by teams that were looking for
depth a quarterback. Now, surprisingly, he was passed up by

(04:33):
no less than five teams and picked three, six, seven, nine,
and twenty one. Now there’s a lot of speculation as
to why his stock fell so badly, but that aside,
he was expected to go early in round two earlier today,
Now as we speak, well into the third round, and
hard to believe he’s still his name still on the
board as he was also our Heidsman Trophy financist there.

(04:56):
That’s incredible that some of your lifting audience may be familiar,
but should do his last name his father, Pro Football
Hall of Fame man current Colorado head coach Dion Sanders.
If we consider past history, pineying just how unpredictable the
NFL draft is. Here are a few examples. In twenty
twenty two, San Francisco forty nine Ers quarterback brock Perty

(05:18):
was a final thicket number two sixty two, unfortunately being
tagged mister irrelevant. Now he led his team to the
Super Bowl the following year. In twenty eighteen, two time
regular season MVP and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was passed
by multiple teams before Baltimore, who had earlier passed on him,
drafted them thirty second at the end of round one,

(05:39):
and by far the biggest election a non selection in
NFL draft history was in the two thousand NFL Draft. Now,
a lot of your listeners will definitely have heard of
this guy taken off the board in round six and
selected at number one, ninety nine by the New England Patriots,
a quarterback by the name of Tom Brady. As they say,
the rest is history. The unpredictability of a draft, as Weld,

(05:59):
makes it so compellion and a fascinating watch Piney, even
if he expected run into round three, and it’s more
drama to follow over than couple of days. Pony really tvated.

Speaker 2 (06:09):
If you are absolutely I can hear it in your voice.
I can hear it in your voice better than any
Love Island already these other reality shows. The NFL Draft.
I know you’ve also had divided focus because the NBA
playoffs are on eight teams from the Eastern Conference, eight
from the West in the first round matchups best of seven.
We’ll get through as many of these as we can.

(06:31):
Some of the games are ongoing at the moment. Let’s
start in the East, the top seeds in the East,
the Caves up against the Heats, who must have gone
through the play and because they finished tenth in the
regular season, but tied up at one all after the
first two games, with game three tomorrow back in Miami.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
Okay, so I don’t normally correct you, pony, but actually
the Cavaliers, the number one seed over an number eight
seed Heat, hold a two to no advantage and games
tomorrow gotcha?

Speaker 2 (07:02):
Okay, good, yeah, no, Roads, I’m happy to do that.

Speaker 3 (07:07):
Cleveland should easily wrap up the series in four or five.
So they’ve got the second best regular season record of the
bench road record of any other team in the league
this year.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
Let’s go to the Celtics, who finished second in the
Eastern Conference. Are pretty sure that they were too nil
up although Game three has just finished in Orlando. They’re
up against the Magic, and the Magic have won a
tight one ninety five ninety three, So that makes it
two one to the Celtics after three games. I think.

Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yeah. So the number two Celtics against number seven Magic,
both another defending champions. They should wrap the series up
in five, even though they dropped today’s game. But that said,
their finals experience and a deeper bench should see them
overcome the inexperienced Orlando.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
From here on and all right, Bucks paces Paces were
two knill ahead going into Game three, which was in Milwaukee.
But I think again the Milwaukee Bucks, helped by the
home crowd, no doubt, have picked up or when there
you’re still back the Paces over the Bucks or is
this one a bit harder to pick?

Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yes, So the number four Paces against the number five Bucks.
As you said, you know, the Bucks managed to pick
up the game today, but if you look at the
depth of the teams Indian they have them. They’ve been
the more consistent team throughout the regular season, and they
had the edge should they take the seats even though
they lost today. However, Pony, the biggest storyline from this
is that there are underlying rumors that superstar for the Bucks.

(08:31):
Gianna started the compound, always had a couple pronouncing his name,
unfictionately known as the Greek Freak. He may move on
at the end of the season. He’s one of the
most dominant players in the association. But it’s hungry for
another ring and unfortunately their Bucks aren’t in the conversation
one now as a legitimate championship contender for him. So yeah,
there’s a lot of rumors swelling that he may move

(08:53):
on to another team.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
All right, final game in the East or final matchups?
NIXT Pistons next to one ahead. They’ve had three games here.
Game four is on Monday back in Detroit. Next to
go through in five or six games here.

Speaker 3 (09:09):
Yes, so the third rank MIXT against the sixth rank
Piston in the Eastern Conference. This is probably the most
even series in the East. So it’s a half on
the pick. But I’m going to give New York for
slight edges. They have home court advantage. Could it go
to a series deciding game seven?

Speaker 2 (09:25):
Let’s go to the Western Conference Clippers Nuggets. Clippers lead
to one with game four tomorrow. This is the four
v five matchup, I guess, of all of them, when
four plays five, it’s probably the hardest one to pick,
isn’t it.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yes, you know, I’m a bit of a Nuggets fan.
But unfortunately for Denver, I’ve been through a bit of
change recently, the surprise fign of their head coach. They’re
playing against the form team of the competition, and despite
him the best plan of the league, I don’t see
the series going their way, so I expect the al
Clippers to wrap up the series sooner than later year.

Speaker 2 (10:00):
The other LA side, the Lakers. They’re in action as
we speak. Actually, in Game three of their series against
the Minnesota Timberwolves. The series tied at one apiece, the
Lakers narrowly ahead in the second quarter. Lakers third seed,
Timberwolves sixth So Lakers eventually they go through.

Speaker 1 (10:17):
Do you think?

Speaker 3 (10:18):
Yeah? The series could go either way, Piney, even probably
to seven games. On paper, you’d have to lean towards
LA with Lebron and Luca, even though the Timberwolves do
have some star players. But if you look at the roster,
l A have the much deeper roster, and if it
does go to a designing game, I think I’ll leave
with the Lakers here in a close series.

Speaker 2 (10:40):
All right, Grizzly Thunder, this is one way traffic, Oklahoma
City Thunder three nil ahead after three games. Game four
is in Memphis. But are the Thunder gonna sweep this,
aren’t they? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (10:52):
I think it’s time to get to brim up Piney. Okay,
he should wrap the series up tomorrow in a four
games three. Memphis had the worst regular season record coming
into the postseason, whereas the Thunder had the best regular
season record, and I’m looking ominous, I’d be ruth surprize
of Okay, see, don’t come out of the Western Conference
and make the NBA Finals this.

Speaker 2 (11:10):
Year, all right? And the final matchup is the Golden
State Warriors against the Houston Rockets, tied at one apiece
after two games. Game three is tomorrow. Which way do
you see this one going?

Speaker 3 (11:25):
Yeah, finally, out of all the Round one series, this
will be the westkin cunning to watch in the closest.
You have championship pedigree and outside shooting and future Hall
of Famous Steph Curry and Golden State State up against
the physical inside game of Kiev Stephen Adams Houston. I
can certainly see this going to seven games at the
hardest series for the winner. However, I’m going to lean

(11:46):
in favor of Golden step because of their championship, DNA
pedigree and their finals experience.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
Great to get your expertise, leon covering off so much
basketball while you’re also keeping your eyes on the NFL
draft at pronouncing names correctly and even correcting these, I
think we’ll give you. We’ll give you an a plus
for today, mate, thanks for joining us with your state
side segments as always so awesome.

Speaker 3 (12:08):
Thank you for having me on today, Pony. I want
to digest and I look forward to sharing my insights
with you and your audience a getting as soon. Have
a great day, mate.

Speaker 1 (12:15):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks at B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio

Podcast

Better rookie season

Published

4 months ago

September 4, 2025

Your Sports Nation

As the clock wound down in a recent contest, the Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton and Kaila Charles swarmed Paige Bueckers on the perimeter to deny the Dallas Wings rookie from even getting off a shot. The 3.2 remaining seconds ticked away, and the ball remained in Bueckers’ hands as the buzzer sounded.

That type of attention has become common for Bueckers in her debut WNBA season, especially as the firepower in the Wings rotation has thinned because of injury — eight of 12 players on the opening-night roster have missed seven or more games — putting more offensive burden on her. Bueckers has also proven increasingly capable of dissecting single coverage and has demanded star-level defense.

“She lets the game come to her, and she takes what the defense is giving her all over the floor,” Wings coach Chris Koclanes said. “She doesn’t get sped up, and it’s really impressive for a rookie in this league to be able to maintain her own speed and tempo.”

But the game was already in hand when the Valkyries corralled Bueckers at the 3-point line. Golden State led by nine and the heightened defense wasn’t because the game was in balance; it was because Bueckers needed one more point to reach double digits, as she had done in every prior game of her rookie year.

With Dallas long since removed from postseason contention and playing out the string over the second half of the season, these are the stakes for Bueckers. She hasn’t been put in position to chase wins; she can only pursue individual accolades while the Wings build for the future. Nevertheless, despite a constantly changing supporting cast, Bueckers has thrived, putting herself in conversation for one of the best debuts in league history.

Bueckers has been the leading rookie scorer every month of the 2025 season, and her average of 18.9 points is seventh in WNBA history among rookies. With three games left, a late surge could move Bueckers past her teammate Arike Ogunbowale, who is sixth on the list at 19.1.

Paige Bueckers in August:

🪽 20.3 PPG | 3.7 RPG | 5.0 APG
🪽 44-point performance: highest by any W player this season
🪽 @Kia Rookie of the Month#KiaROTM | #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/Cx09czcFhi

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 3, 2025

As was the case during her college career that culminated in a national championship at UConn, Bueckers has been efficient in the process of scoring at a high volume. Among rookies who have averaged at least 17 points per game, Bueckers is sixth in field-goal percentage at 46.7. The only two guards in front of her are Chennedy Carter, whose first season came in the friendly offensive environment of the WNBA bubble, and Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, who was a 34-year-old rookie during the league’s inaugural season.

Bueckers has been an elite playmaker as well. She is on pace to finish the season as one of 12 rookies to ever average five assists per game, and one of two to pair that with 15 points, joining Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.

Clark became the standard-bearer for rookie guards during her historic 2024 season, and her production is the only realistic point of comparison for Bueckers. Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi were also first-year All-Stars, but neither displayed the same combination of elite scoring and creation as Clark and Bueckers. The new generation of rookies has the advantage of playing in a more offensive-minded league. Still, their numbers relative to the rest of the league stand out.

The last two No. 1 picks both delivered individual historic moments. Bueckers tied a rookie record last month with 44 points against the Los Angeles Sparks, on a night when she started alongside two players who were signed midseason to hardship contracts. Clark set the single-game assist record of 19 about midway through last season.

But Bueckers trails Clark in most of the counting stats: 18.9 to 19.2 in points, 3.7 to 5.7 in rebounds, and 5.3 to 8.4 in assists. Other than points, those differences cannot be explained by the extra two minutes Clark averaged as a rookie. The major advantage Bueckers possesses is in turnovers, where her 2.1 per game is significantly better than Clark’s 2.8.

Bueckers has a better overall field-goal percentage, but since so many of Clark’s shots came from 3-point range, the Fever guard’s effective field-goal percentage (which weights the point value of each field goal) of 52.2 percent bests Bueckers’ mark of 50.4. Clark also shot better from 3-point range (34.4 percent to 33 percent) despite attempting them three times as frequently.

Those box-score numbers don’t fully account for the surrounding situation of each rookie. Clark’s assists, for example, were easier to come by with All-Star Aliyah Boston in the middle of the floor; the 2023 No. 1 pick was the recipient of 105 of Clark’s helpers, or 2.6 per game. Both Clark and Bueckers had an All-Star guard sharing the backcourt in Kelsey Mitchell and Ogunbowale and a relatively similar level of talent on the rest of the roster, at least to start the season, but Dallas didn’t have anyone resembling Boston.

Another feat for PB5 🙌

Paige Bueckers joins Caitlin Clark as the second rookie in WNBA history to record 500+ PTS, 150+ AST, 100+ REB, and 50+ STL in a season. #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/G1rooMRgLo

— WNBA (@WNBA) August 23, 2025

Although Bueckers had a worse net rating than Clark (minus-5.0 compared to minus-2.4), her on-off differential has been better in her rookie season. The Wings are 8.1 points per 100 possessions better with Bueckers on the court, demonstrating her impact, even if it hasn’t translated to victories. Win shares favor Bueckers as well, and she can build on her 3.5-3.0 lead in the final three games.

However one chooses to assess the statistical impact of Bueckers and Clark in their first years, there is one point of comparison that works in Clark’s favor. Bueckers’ production has come in the context of a largely meaningless season, as Dallas hasn’t even spent one day in playoff position. Clark and the Fever, on the other hand, rallied from a 2-9 start to pursue a postseason berth.

That is the next frontier for Bueckers: not be a spoiler, but to play in games of real consequence. Clark’s rookie season ended with a big chasing her on the perimeter as she launched a 3-pointer because a playoff win was on the line. Bueckers’ rookie season could be lost to history if Dallas doesn’t put her in that position sooner than later.

(Photo of Paige Bueckers: Ron Jenkins / Getty Images)

NIL

Christian Gonzalez misses Patriots practice, 'working' to return from injury

Published

4 months ago

September 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Christian Gonzalez misses Patriots practice, 'working' to return from injury

FOXBORO — Christian Gonzalez quietly folded and put away some of the clothing in his locker at Gillette Stadium.

While his Patriots teammates prepared for a fully-padded practice just four days before their season opener, the third-year corner did not. He understood the plan for him on Wednesday was to do some conditioning work on the side and not much more.

“I’m working,” he said softly.

Gonzalez is inarguably his team’s best player. He was named a Second-Team All-Pro last season after routinely matching up with and shutting down opposing No. 1 receivers. He was expected to be one of the linchpins of Mike Vrabel’s defense in 2025, allowing for extensive man-to-man looks and aggressive calls for pressure because of his lock-down coverage skills.

But after Gonzalez missed Wednesday’s practice, his status for Sunday’s game is in doubt, despite Vrabel not ruling him out. Gonzalez hasn’t practiced since injuring his hamstring on July 28.

“He’s continuing to work,” Vrabel said prior to the practice, “and he’ll do some stuff on the side, but I’m not going to rule anybody out. … We’ll continue to work and treat and make sure that we’re doing everything that we can to help him, and he’s doing everything he can to get back out on the field. That’s the only update I have right now.”

Gonzalez rode a stationary air bike on the upper fields behind Gillette Stadium while his teammates practiced on the lower field. He pedaled under the watchful eye of assistant strength and conditioning coach Brian McDonough before pausing and watching the action on the fields below.

“I mean, I do like where he’s at from an engagement standpoint,” Vrabel said. “We’ve been through this with other players, and I like where he’s at from that standpoint. In the meetings, locked in, following along at practice, which is difficult. To think that a player that’s not in there can follow along, I’ve been through that as a player and a coach, and I think he’s done a nice job of being able to do that.”

While Vrabel surely would like to have Gonzalez for Week 1 against a Raiders offense that features second-year standout tight end Brock Bowers and former Patriots wideout Jakobi Meyers, he didn’t indicate that he would be rushing Gonzalez back onto the field, either.

When asked if it was important for him to allow players to get back to “100 percent” before returning to the field, Vrabel shed some light on his thought process.

“I mean, I don’t use percentages,” Vrabel said, “but, again, I’ll remind you what we talked about as far as, when I try to make decisions about players and returning, one, can they make it worse? Can they, two, protect themselves?

“We can all say what we want about this game, but it’s violent, and can you protect yourself? And can you do your job up to the standard that we expect and that the player is used to? So, those are the things that I’ve tried to use when making decisions. Maybe I’ll add some to that, but that’s what I’ve tried to use in my other experience in this position.”

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Podcast

Steve Smith Moves His Podcast, 'The 89 Show,' to Blue Wire

Published

4 months ago

September 2, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Steve Smith Moves His Podcast, 'The 89 Show,' to Blue Wire

Steve Smith Moves His Podcast to Blue Wire

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Podcast

Andy Roddick returns to tennis on own terms with successful 'Served' podcast

Published

4 months ago

September 1, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Andy Roddick returns to tennis on own terms with successful 'Served' podcast

Andy Roddick’s journey back to tennis began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Tennis Channel asked him to remotely appear on studio programming while the sports world was shut down.

“I didn’t really play. I would come [to the U.S. Open] to do corporate work once a year, and that was it,” Roddick recently told Sports Business Journal. “Tennis Channel was great because I could do it from home. My one thing was, I never wanted the game to control my geography ever again.”

Five years later — and 13 after announcing his retirement from play on his 30th birthday — Roddick has established a pillar of the tennis media ecosystem on his own terms with his “Served” podcast.

Launched in January 2024 with veteran producer Mike Hayden and journalist Jon Wertheim, the show began with ambitions as simple as “a fun side project that I thought no one would listen to,” in Roddick’s words. But since its debut, the show has garnered more than 150,000 YouTube subscribers, 185,000 social media followers and 3.5 million audio downloads while attracting marquee sponsors such as Amazon Prime (2025 French Open, U.S. Open), Mercury Financial (2025 Wimbledon) and ServiceNow (live shows at the upcoming Laver Cup) for events. It also joined Vox Media’s network of sports podcasts last year.

As it’s grown, “Served” has earned bona fides with tennis diehards for long-form interviews with Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi; laid-back but incisive analysis of tennis’ entire calendar of events (not just the Grand Slams); and the versatility to dig deep into topics such as, in an early sitdown with longtime IMG Tennis agent/executive Max Eisenbud, the economics of tennis player development.

“What makes him special, specific to his podcast, is his ability to transcend the deep tennis insiders, but also the casual tennis fans,” said Eric Butorac, a former doubles player on the ATP Tour and the USTA’s senior director of player relations and business development.

“He’s [Roddick] exactly like he was on tour. You walk into the locker room, and you just hope he’s sitting there, because he’s going to be jabbering away, super engaged, super competitive. … It’s the same way when I turn on ‘Served.’”

Served Media — the media company atop “Served” co-founded by Roddick and Hayden — is now a seven-figure revenue business. Since the debut of its eponymous podcast, it has launched a women’s tennis-focused show hosted by Kim Clijsters, daily recap program hosted by Hayden, active social and newsletter channels, and a merchandise line, with yet-to-be disclosed plans for further content expansion.

“We thought there would be a lane for it for, like, super nerds,” Roddick said. “But I don’t know that we thought it would grow like this.”

NIL

Postgame Podcast

Published

4 months ago

August 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

RALEIGH, N.C. — NC State needed a fourth-down stop in the red zone to survive, but came away with a 24-17 win over ECU to start the season. The Wolfpack (1-0) finished with 423 total yards behind CJ Bailey’s 318 yards passing with one touchdown through the air and one on the ground.

Cory Smith and Michael Clark share their thoughts after the game, including Bailey’s performance, Wesley Grimes’ career night, Hollywood Smothers’ solid outing, and the defense’s up-and-down night. Get all of that and more on the latest Postgame Podcast.

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