Chicago Sports Talk with The Sportscaster and Her Son

Listen to some great behind the scenes stories on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Tom Smithburg from Teamworks Media takes us behind the curtain of the NBA Champions. Great stories from the White House calling to Arnold Palmer. And yet another Dennis Rodman journey away from the team that was not on The Last Dance! Join us as we re-live the three peat Bulls and the tales that were NOT told!

Two months without professional sports during Covid-19 has Jason and Peggy reminiscing about what they are missing. MLB would have celebrated Jackie Robinson day but they couldn't, so Peggy reaches into the Chicagoland TV archives for an interview with White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf who saw #42's baseball debut. Then White Sox announcer & ESPN broadcaster Jason Benetti joins the show to talk about baseball and what the White Sox were looking like before sports went silent. Peggy finishes the show with a memorial to her late friend ESPY's producer Maura Mandt.

The Covid-19 Pandemic with major sports leagues shutdown hit hard in our household. Jason the typically co-hosts the podcast sits this one out as Peggy calls on her eleven year old daughter to help scroll through contacts to find someone to interview. Phone a Friend results in the reunion of Peggy and an old Chicago Bears coach. Listen in as they catch up on the old days at Halas Hall: the media, Brian Urlacher and how Covid-19 hit home to this former Coach.

Covid-19 hit and suddenly sports stopped in March 2020. The NCAA tournament canceled, the NBA & NHL seasons were postponed, and MLB spring training halted. Jason, like many struggled to fill the void. Peggy, like many parents tried to keep perspective. But the truth is we have never been through anything like this ... until we talked to Grandpa Poppy. Peggy's Dad & Jason's grandfather, 85 year old Ed Kusinski shares stories of what it was like without sports when he was 8 years old during WWII. An interesting perspective and a message of hope any generation can relate to.

March 2020 International Women's Day is celebrated with an historic sports broadcast by NBC Sports. An all women's crew produced, directed & broadcast the NHL game with the Blackhawks and the Blues. Kate Scott was the play by play announcer for the historic broadcast and talks about the significance of that game. While, Jason & Peggy discuss other female sports broadcasters and predictions for what it means in the future.

In this mini episode Jason makes his long talked about college decision. From over a dozen applications, half a dozen school visits, and lots of anguish the wait is over! How often will he let Peggy visit? How far away will he be? What conference will he now be a fan of? The answer, Jason will be attending ...

Jason and Peggy talk about the Houston Astros and baseball's cheating scandal and segue into legalized sports betting in Illinois. Jason's generation is the first to grow up with sports betting being legal, and it's everywhere from ESPN to local sports talk radio. But is it ok? How do you talk to your kids about another vice that's legal? Rachel Volberg a gambling researcher from UMass-Amherst explains why teens are most vulnerable to problem gambling and how to spot a problem.

2020 has to be better in Chicago sports doesn't it? Jason laments how he is finishing high school without a playoff game from his Chicago sports teams, but looks ahead to each team's future. Dan Wiederer, award winning sports reporter for the Chicago Tribune joins us to look back at what happened to the Chicago Bears in 2019 and what does the future hold for Matt Nagy's team.

David Ross joins the podcast to talk about the interview process with the Chicago Cubs - the mock press conference and his mock pep talk to the team. Ross shares the life changing conversation with Theo Epstein in Boston and the toughest talks he's had with teammates Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber. Peggy and Jason toss in some hot stove baseball talk for the Cubs and the White Sox with juicy rumors of player moves.

Peggy and Jason give thanks for year 1 of the podcast and Thanksgiving sports traditions. But it turns into a dish on family traditions and what Jason does and doesn't like about the Thanksgiving holiday. Laugh or cringe at the family secrets and maybe it'll sound familiar too!

David Ross earned a lovable nickname of "Grandpa Rossy" during the Chicago Cubs World Series season of 2016, but as a Major League Manager fans will see another persona only his teammates, coaches and team personnel saw behind the scenes. An "in your face" leader who isn't afraid to tell it like it is. Author, Don Yaeger joins the show to talk about David Ross the subject of his book "Teammate: My Journey in Baseball and a World Series for the Ages", https://books.apple.com/us/book/teammate/id1187803896?mt=11&app=itunes and a meeting with Theo Epstein in Boston that changed Ross' career.

Chicago Bears QB Mitch Trubisky is having an up and down 2019 season, did General Manager Ryan Pace make a big mistake moving up to draft him? NFL Network's Charley Casserley blames the lack of "star" weapons on the Bears offense while preaching patience to Chicago Bears fans.

An inspirational story of a girls basketball team. This book lead to a conversation with my son: How do you explain Title IX to a teenage son who doesn't see inequity in sports at the high school level? What's the big deal he says? Using the lawsuit filed by the US Women's soccer team's for gender equity and the book "State" by author Melissa isaacson as a backdrop, Peggy and Jason talk about gender equity. Join the fun and educational discussion between mother and son.

Who is the funniest guy in sports? Charles Barkley, Shaq, Peyton Manning all come to mind. Former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Anthony "Spice" Adams joins the show to talk about how his post football career in comedy and how it took off thanks to comedian Kevin Hart and others who follow his characters "Creame Biggums and Reggie" on social media. Get ready to laugh as you listen!

Who is the funniest guy in sports? Charles Barkley, Shaq, Peyton Manning all come to mind. Former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Anthony "Spice" Adams joins the show to talk about how his post football career in comedy and how it took off thanks to comedian Kevin Hart and others who follow his characters "Creame Biggums and Reggie" on social media. Get ready to laugh as you listen!