Sports With Friends Underdog Podcasts

Former Tennis player and current ESPN Tennis Broadcaster Patrick McEnroe returns to the podcast after a six-year absence. He previously came on Episode 59. Since then, he started his own podcast, “Holding Court.”

As a player, McEnroe won one singles title and 16 doubles titles, including the 1989 French Open. His career-high rankings were world No. 28 in singles and world No. 3 in doubles. His younger brother is John McEnroe, a tennis legend.

The McEnroe brothers have opened the John McEnroe Tennis Academy in many New York area locations. They are also embarking on a trip to Tanzania from December 1st-8th, 2023 to bring tennis to a part of the world that hasn't been exposed to the sport.

In this episode, McEnroe discusses the current state of the sport of tennis and its surge in popularity. They discuss the potential for Carlos Alcaraz, the amazing staying power of Novak Djokovic, and the balance on the women's side. They talk about the growth of tournaments beyond the four major tournaments.

In 2009, Jenson Button won the prestigious Formula-1 championship for the newly-branded Brawn GP team. The saga of that season has been the subject of a new documentary that recently premiered on Hulu called: Brawn: The Impossible F1 Story. Hosted and produced by actor Keanu Reaves, the story tracks the incredibly improbable 2009 season. Jenson Button won 6 of the first 7 races. Then, a controversy about his car surfaced. That was followed by a massive slump and economic problems. Button joined the show to recount that wild story.

In this episode, Button discusses what he learned from seeing the documentary vs. what he knew during that year. He also discusses the various players in the film and his relationship with them. He also addressed the current surge in F1 popularity, and what a sports documentary can do for that sport. Also, Button addresses the differences in F1 racing now as opposed to 14 years ago.

Jon Bloom was recently named the new full-time 'Voice of the Suns' this 2023-24 season on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. He replaces the legendary Al McCoy, who retired after 51 seasons calling Suns' games. Bloom graduated from Syracuse University and began his career in Detroit. In 2003, he moved to Arizona, and in 2008, began working with the Suns in various roles. Bloom started doing Suns road games for McCoy dating as far back as the 2016-17 season.

In this episode, Bloom talks about getting the job and replacing a Suns legend. He also discusses how his career really started at Syracuse, and the lasting legacy that had. He also discusses the NBA's new In-Season Tournament and the recent injuries that have hampered the Suns.

Since 1992, the Premier League in England has been the top-ranked soccer league in the world. This episode focuses on the league's growth through streaming, and how popular it really is. Laurent Courtines is the host of the “Squeaky Bum Time” podcast and has covered the EPL (English Premier League) and released over 200 episodes of his Premier League soccer-specific show over the last 3 years.

In this episode, Courtines explains the origin of the EPL and the media deals that have evolved over the years. He explains the differences between soccer and other American sports, namely football and baseball. He also explains where Major League Soccer ranks on the global stage.

Follow Laurent's podcast and social media https://www.squeakybumtimepodcast.com/.

Roy Firestone is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning and seven-time cable ACE Award-winning host, interviewer, narrator, writer, and producer. As the ground-breaking, original host of ESPN's legendary Up Close, Up Close Classic, and Up Close Primetime, Firestone has interviewed more than 5,000 athletes, musicians, actors, and political figures, as well as scores of writers and filmmakers. As an actor, Firestone was featured in the Academy Award-winning film, Jerry Maguire, where he played himself in an unforgettable (and often repeated) scene with Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding Jr. His numerous television credits include Everybody Loves Raymond and Married with Children. Fans of The Simpsons remember him as the voice of ‘Bart Starr.' No stranger to talk shows, Firestone's appearances include Late Night with David Letterman, Later with Bob Costas, Larry King Live, and The Tonight Show. Firestone is also an accomplished musical vocalist.

In this episode, Firestone tells many stories from his over 6,000 shows. Included gems are stories about Dean Smith, Elton John, and Muhammad Ali.

Jerry Schemmel is currently a radio play-by-play announcer for the Colorado Rockies. He is also the Radio Voice of the University of Northern Colorado Basketball. Before the Rockies, Schemmel spent 20 seasons broadcasting radio and television in the NBA, two years for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the last 18 with the Denver Nuggets.

Schemmel is a survivor of United Airlines Flight 232 which crashed in Sioux City, IA on July 19, 1989. The crash took the lives of 112 people.

In this episode, Jerry talks about covering the Rockies and their manager, Bud Black. He also reminisces about the days with the Nuggets. He also is very transparent about his faith, and how his Christianity became a part of his life after the plane crash. Schemmel is an inspirational person and a motivational speaker.