Spork: The Sports What If Podcast

Spork Podcast
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Sports
  • Weekly

Each week hosts Andy and Drew dive into the great "What If's" of the sports world, exploring each fork in the road at the biggest moments of sports.

  1. 3d ago

    Spork Ep. 70: Dual Sport What If's: NFL Stars In the MLB

    In this episode of Spork, we flip the diamond and the gridiron for part two of our cross-sport series, exploring what happens when NFL superstars take their talents to Major League Baseball. Rather than looking at dual-sport pioneers or wide receivers, we examine a fascinating positional trend: four world-class NFL quarterbacks who possessed the arm talent, athleticism, and pedigree to forge legitimate careers in professional baseball. We kick off with Tom Brady, who was drafted as a high school catcher in the 18th round by the Montreal Expos before embarking on the greatest quarterback career in NFL history. We break down how his cerebral nature, competitive fire, and durable frame translate behind the plate, and whether he could have emerged as the defensive quarterback of an MLB infield. Next, we turn to Russell Wilson, examining his legitimate minor-league second-base pedigree, his spring training stints, and how his quick hands and baseball instincts might have sustained a major-league career. Then, we dive into Patrick Mahomes—the son of a big-league pitcher—and explore an alternate reality where his 96 mph fastball, off-platform arm angles, and flair for the dramatic land him in the bullpen as an electric, high-heat closer. Finally, we analyze Kyler Murray, the rare top-10 draft pick in both sports, debating whether the 2018 Heisman winner and ninth overall pick of the Oakland A's could have ridden his elite speed and outfield range to a 15-year career in center field. In this episode, we discuss: Tom Brady Behind the Dish: Unpacking Brady’s 1995 draft selection by the Montreal Expos and exploring what the ultimate gridiron competitor would have looked like directing traffic as a major-league catcher. Russell Wilson Up the Middle: Analyzing Wilson's stint in professional baseball, his transition from NC State to Wisconsin to keep playing both sports, and his ceiling as an everyday MLB second baseman. Patrick Mahomes, Lights-Out Closer: Exploring the baseball lineage of Pat Mahomes Sr., Patrick's high-school pitching dominance, and how his arm angles and clutch gene project into a high-leverage bullpen weapon. Kyler Murray's 5-Tool Potential: Revisiting the 2018 MLB Draft and imagining Murray's trajectory as a dynamic, Gold Glove-caliber center fielder had he honored his contract with the Oakland Athletics. As always, send any questions, thoughts, comments, or future topics to thesporkpodcast@gmail.com

  2. Oct 27

    Spork Ep. 69: Dual Sport What If's: MLB Stars In the NFL

    In this episode of Spork, we kick off a two-part cross-sport series by exploring what happens when elite, two-sport athletes walk away from the gridiron to build legacies on the diamond. We turn our attention to four legendary Major League Baseball stars who had the physical tools, college accolades, and pedigree to forge dominant NFL careers. We begin with 1988 NL MVP and World Series hero Kirk Gibson, looking at his record-setting collegiate career as an All-American wide receiver for Michigan State and how his rare blend of 4.4 speed and physical size could have transformed an NFL passing offense. Next, we examine "The Big Hurt" Frank Thomas, who arrived at Auburn on a football scholarship before becoming an all-time slugger, and debate whether his massive frame would have made him an unstoppable tight end precursor to Antonio Gates. Then, we dive into the fascinating case of Joe Mauer, the 2001 USA Today High School Football Player of the Year committed to Florida State, and imagine an alternate timeline where he followed Chris Weinke to quarterback the Seminoles and entered a loaded 2004 NFL Draft. Finally, we analyze Jeff Samardzija’s dominant run as an All-American wide receiver at Notre Dame, how he could have fit as a dynamic target in an offense like New England's, and why the financial security and longevity of baseball ultimately made walking away from football the right business move. In this episode, we discuss: Kirk Gibson’s Gridiron Dominance: Breaking down Gibson's record-setting collegiate career at Michigan State and how his blend of track speed, physicality, and clutch gene translates to the NFL. The Big Hurt as a Red Zone Weapon: Exploring Frank Thomas’s Auburn football roots and what a 6'4", 250-pound tight end with soft hands would have looked like in 1990s NFL offenses. Joe Mauer, NFL Franchise Passer: Looking at Mauer's legendary high school football dominance, his commitment to Florida State, and how his career would look alongside the famed 2004 NFL quarterback class. Shark at Wideout & The Business of Baseball: Analyzing Jeff Samardzija’s prolific receiving stats at Notre Dame, his ideal fit in an NFL passing scheme, and why guaranteed MLB contracts make skipping the NFL Draft the smartest business decision. As always, send any questions, thoughts, comments, or future topics to thesporkpodcast@gmail.com

  3. Oct 6

    Spork Ep. 68: What if the Bears Drafted Joe Montana?

    In this episode of Spork, we tackle a listener request and travel back to the 1979 NFL Draft to rewrite Chicago Bears history. Armed with multiple early picks, the Bears built a legendary defensive foundation in reality, but what if General Manager Jim Finks had taken a completely different route and landed two transcendent offensive hall of famers in Kellen Winslow and Joe Montana? We begin by breaking down the 1979 draft board, where Chicago held the capital to bypass back-to-back defensive ends and instead snag an elite pass-catching tight end in Winslow alongside Notre Dame’s national champion quarterback in round three. From there, we explore how pairing Montana with the unstoppable Walter Payton transforms Chicago's offense into an unstoppable juggernaut, completely rewriting the 1980s NFL landscape. Finally, we follow the dominoes out west to San Francisco: with Bill Walsh left searching for his franchise passer, we map out how Dan Marino thrives in the West Coast offense, while Steve Young's path to stardom takes a drastically different turn. In this episode, we discuss: The 1979 Draft Pivot: Breaking down Chicago’s real-life draft choices and how Jim Finks could have feasibly paired defensive anchor Dan Hampton with both Kellen Winslow and Joe Montana.Sweetness Meets Joe Cool: Exploring the offensive ripple effects of placing Joe Montana and Kellen Winslow alongside peak Walter Payton, taking defensive pressure off the run and lighting up the scoreboard.Super Bowl Dynasty in the Windy City: Analyzing how many Lombardi Trophies the 1980s Bears would have hoisted with Montana under center backed by Chicago’s historically dominant mid-80s defense.Marino in the Bay & Steve Young's Limbo: Unpacking the fate of the 49ers without Montana, including Bill Walsh drafting Dan Marino in the 1983 draft and how Steve Young’s career arc gets completely derailed. As always, send any questions, thoughts, comments, or future topics to thesporkpodcast@gmail.com

  4. Sep 15

    Spork Ep. 67: What If Cleveland Lost the Browns Forever?

    In this episode of Spork, we are revisiting one of the most unprecedented legal settlements in NFL history: the agreement that guaranteed Cleveland a replacement franchise after Art Modell moved the original Browns to Baltimore. The late 90s are littered with messy franchise relocations and abandoned cities, but what if we rewrote history to remove Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's immediate guarantee for Cleveland? We start by jumping back to the late 1990s. What if the City of Cleveland had to fight for a new expansion team on the open market against heavily-favored Los Angeles and Houston, instead of having a team automatically handed back to them? With Cleveland offering a cold-weather market and no dome, we explore how the vacant Los Angeles market likely secures the 1999 expansion franchise instead. Then, we fast-forward through the 2000s to unpack a fascinating football fever dream: the complete erasure of the infamous Cleveland quarterback graveyard. We spend the bulk of the episode analyzing how diverting the 1999 expansion team to LA would have saved a generation of highly-touted quarterbacks from a rebuilding wasteland, completely altering their legacies and the trajectory of the league. In this episode, we discuss: The Tagliabue Settlement: Breaking down the 1996 agreement that saved the Browns' legacy, and what happens if Cleveland's lawsuits fail and they are left to fend for themselves as an abandoned NFL market.Cleveland vs. Los Angeles: Exploring the alternate reality where the NFL’s 1999 expansion slot becomes an open bidding war, and why a domeless Cleveland ultimately loses out to the massive, unoccupied Los Angeles market.Erasing the Graveyard: Analyzing the ripple effects of removing the expansion Browns from the draft timeline, effectively saving a generation of quarterbacks from having their early years derailed by a perpetually struggling franchise.Tim Couch Goes Hollywood: A deep dive into the 1999 NFL Draft if the first overall pick belonged to a brand-new Los Angeles franchise instead of Cleveland, and how avoiding the Browns' organizational chaos could have salvaged Couch's professional career. As always, send any questions, thoughts, comments, or future topics to thesporkpodcast@gmail.com

  5. Sep 1

    Spork Ep. 66: Alternate NFL Timelines (Pt 2): Unbusting Brian Brohm, JaMarcus Russell, and Johnny Manziel

    In this episode of Spork, we are revisiting one of the most critical elements of NFL success: the intersection of raw talent and offensive scheme. We are back with Part 2 of our "Unbusting" series, and this time, the entire focus is on what happens when highly-touted college prospects are actually paired with the right play callers. The 2000s and 2010s are littered with legendary college quarterbacks whose professional careers were derailed by bad systemic fits, but what if we rewrote history to give them the perfect offensive environments? We start by jumping back to 2007. What if Louisville phenom Brian Brohm bypassed his senior year, declared for the NFL Draft, and was selected by Lane Kiffin's Oakland Raiders? With the Raiders opting for Brohm's pro-style accuracy, the draft's biggest enigma, JaMarcus Russell, slides down the board into the lap of Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Then, we fast-forward to the 2014 NFL Draft to unpack a fast-paced football fever dream: Johnny Manziel landing in Philadelphia to run Chip Kelly's high-octane offense. We spend the bulk of the episode analyzing how matching these specific quarterbacks to these exact coaching styles would have completely altered their legacies and the trajectory of the league. In this episode, we discuss: Brohm to the Black Hole: Exploring the alternate reality where Brian Brohm enters the 2007 NFL Draft and becomes the precision passer Lane Kiffin desperately needed in Oakland.Gruden's Ultimate Project: Breaking down JaMarcus Russell's fall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and whether Jon Gruden's notorious intensity could have unlocked the LSU star's generational arm talent.Manziel Meets Chip Kelly: A deep dive into Johnny "Football" Manziel slipping to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014. We analyze the explosive potential (and inevitable off-field chaos) of Manziel operating Kelly's tempo-based system. As always, send any questions, concerns, comments, or thoughts to thesporkpodcast@gmail.com.

  6. Aug 25

    Spork Ep. 65: Alternate NFL Timelines (Pt 1): Unbusting David Carr, Vince Young, and Matt Leinart

    In this episode of Spork, we are revisiting a pivotal stretch of the 2000s NFL Drafts to salvage the careers of three heavily debated quarterbacks: David Carr, Vince Young, and Matt Leinart. The Houston Texans' early franchise decisions set a catastrophic domino effect in motion, but what if they opted to build a legendary defense instead of throwing a rookie quarterback to the wolves? We start by analyzing the 2002 NFL Draft. Instead of putting David Carr behind a historically bad expansion offensive line, the Texans select generational pass rusher Julius Peppers first overall, sending Carr to the Carolina Panthers. This shift ripples into 2006, where a Houston defense already anchored by Peppers allows the front office to pass on Mario Williams and keep hometown hero Vince Young in Texas. Finally, we unpack the ultimate butterfly effect down in Miami: Drew Brees passes his infamous medical evaluation and signs with Nick Saban's Dolphins. Left without a franchise quarterback, Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints pivot to select USC standout Matt Leinart, completely reshaping the NFL landscape. In this episode, we discuss: The 2002 Draft Shakeup: How Julius Peppers landing with the expansion Texans completely alters the defensive landscape of the AFC South, and how David Carr fares with a fresh start in Carolina.Hometown Hero in Houston: Exploring Vince Young's alternate path as the first overall pick for the Texans in 2006, pairing his electric dual-threat playmaking with Andre Johnson.Leinart to the Big Easy: A deep dive into Matt Leinart falling into the lap of Sean Payton in New Orleans. Does Payton's offensive genius turn the USC legend into the perennial Pro Bowler he was projected to be? As always, send any questions, comments, thoughts, concerns to thesporkpodcast@gmail.com.

  7. Aug 18

    Spork Ep. 64: What if the Suns Drafted Luka in the 2018 NBA Draft?

    In this episode of Spork, we are revisiting one of the most heavily debated draft nights in modern NBA history: the 2018 NBA Draft. The Phoenix Suns held the number one overall pick and selected hometown center Deandre Ayton, passing on a generational talent in Luka Dončić. But what if the Suns front office decided to pair "Luka Magic" with Devin Booker from day one? We start by analyzing the massive ripple effects across the league, specifically looking at the alternate paths for Deandre Ayton. Does he become the foundational big man for the Sacramento Kings, or does he fall to the Dallas Mavericks to pair up with Jalen Brunson? And in Phoenix, does a Dončić and Booker backcourt taking the Western Conference by storm? We break down their explosive offensive potential, their fit together, and fast-forward to the 2021 NBA Finals to see exactly how this dynamic duo stacks up against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. In this episode, we discuss: The 2018 Draft Shakeup: How Dončić to Phoenix alters the top five picks and shifts the trajectory for the Hawks, Kings, and Mavericks.The Ayton Alternate Paths: Exploring Ayton's potential impact in Sacramento or Dallas, and how those environments shape his development as a top-tier center.The Desert Duo: Breaking down the on-court fit between Luka and Booker, and how their dual-playmaking threat dominates the Western Conference.The 2021 NBA Finals Showdown: A deep dive into the hypothetical matchup against Giannis and the Bucks. Does Luka give Phoenix the edge to capture the championship, or does the Greek Freak still reign supreme? As always, send any questions/comments/concerns/thoughts to thesporkpodcast@gmail.com.

  8. Jul 28

    Spork Ep. 63: Lebron and the Super Rockets: What if Lebron Joined Harden and Howard in Houston in 2014?

    In this episode of the Spork podcast, we are taking a trip back to the wild summer of 2014. LeBron James has just opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat, and the entire NBA is waiting on his next move. We know he ultimately chose to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but what if "The King" decided to take his talents to Houston instead? We kick things off by recapping the end of the "Heatles" era in Miami and the very real situations waiting for him in Cleveland and Chicago. Then, we dive deep into our ultimate Spork Scenario: LeBron James signing with the Houston Rockets to form a terrifying Big Three with James Harden and Dwight Howard. In this episode, we discuss: The Miami Exit & The Alternatives: A brief look at the end of the Heat dynasty, the state of the Cavs, and how a move to the Chicago Bulls could have looked.Building the Space City Superteam: How LeBron fits into a lineup alongside a prime Dwight Howard and an ascending James Harden.Back-to-Back Rockets Championships: Breaking down the 2015 and 2016 seasons where Houston dominates the league and captures two rings.The KD-Warriors Roadblock: How Kevin Durant joining the 73-win Golden State Warriors alters the timeline, leading to devastating playoff losses for the LeBron-led Rockets in 2017 and 2018.Destiny in Los Angeles: After a four-year run in Houston, does LeBron still leave for the Lakers? We debate his 2018 free agency and why all roads still lead to LA. As always, send any questions, comments, thoughts or ideas to us at thesporkpodcast@gmail.com.

See All (70)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Each week hosts Andy and Drew dive into the great "What If's" of the sports world, exploring each fork in the road at the biggest moments of sports.

Information

You Might Also Like