the nail in the coffin | A Cleveland sports podcast Evergreen Podcasts

Bill Bender of the Sporting News is back on The Nail to talk about the new college football season, Texas and Oklahoma eying a jump to the SEC, and the implications of an alliance between the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC. Plus: Will anybody challenge Ohio State in the Big Ten? (Probably not.) Can anyone other than the perennial playoff programs finally break through and get a berth this year? (Also not likely!)
Later, the guys discuss how the Bishop Sycamore story quickly went from an amusing tale of an unqualified prep team scheming its way into a game on ESPN to something much, much worse.
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The long, highly publicized search for a new host of Jeopardy was over…and now it’s not. On Friday, news broke that Mike Richards, the show’s embattled executive producer who had taken the job as Alex Trebek’s successor, was backing away from the podium amid heavy backlash. Before Richards announced his resignation as host, the guys discussed the highly dubious process the resulted in him getting the spot and the issues that we now know ultimately led to his undoing.
Plus: MLB’s Field of Dreams game was a home run for everyone involved, and with WWE’s SummerSlam on Saturday night in Las Vegas and AEW rumored to be debuting a certain famous Chicago-made star on Friday, it’s shaping up to be a huge weekend for wrestling.
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The Cleveland Indians on Friday announced that they will take the field as the Guardians starting in 2022. Even if the name changing process formally began seven months ago, it was a decision years in the making. But did the Indians get it right with their new identity? The guys discuss the new moniker, as well as whether it was a good idea to create a new visual identity that, while no longer controversial, certainly looks similar to the old one in a lot of ways.
Plus: The Browns have unveiled a 75th anniversary throwback uniform, and college football is being turned on its head this summer.
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Ahead of WWE SmackDown coming to Cleveland on Friday, superstar Otis joins The Nail to discuss the company’s return to live touring after spending the better part of 16 months performing in closed venues. The Alpha Academy’s “No. 1 Guy” talks about the challenges of wrestling in front of empty arenas and virtual fans, the difference getting back to having a live crowd in attendance has made, and what he and tag team partner Chad Gable will be up to this Friday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
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Read more about WWE returning to the road and its stop in Cleveland for SmackDown on News-Herald.com.
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Strikeouts are at a record high, batting averages are at a record low, and MLB is at a crossroads as teams continue to swing for the fences even as the ball has been tweaked to cut down on home runs. Three teams—yes, including the Indians—have been no-hit twice this season, and it’s still only mid-May. The guys discuss how teams’ analytics-driven pursuit of success is at odds with putting on an entertaining product for fans, and how it’s not just a problem for baseball.
Plus: The NBA’s play-in games are a literal overnight success, the NFL schedule makers believe in the Browns, and the Columbus Crew does a fast U-turn on an ill-fated rebrand.
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Kevin Kleps of Crain’s Cleveland Business joins the Nail to give a preview of what fans can expect to see downtown this weekend as the NFL Draft takes center stage in the city. Also covered: 

An update on COVID-related attendance limits for Cleveland’s teams 

The odds of a policy requiring COVID-19 vaccination for entry into sports venues (similar to what was recently announced in Buffalo) being implemented by the Browns, Cavs and/or Indians 

Kevin Love is agitated again

A look at the sports betting legislation that could be coming soon in Ohio


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