East Meets West Sports with Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

March Madness Ends, the Lakers Unravel, and Dexter Lawrence Can Take a Hike | w/ Rick Garcia + Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan close out the NCAA tournament, assess a Lakers roster in crisis, argue over Dexter Lawrence's future with the Giants, and land in Pop That Culture with a blindfold, a missed shot, and a Donald Sterling flashback.
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Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. Michigan Beats UConn: The Best Team Won
Michigan claims the men's title behind a coach with real Bobby Knight DNA, while UConn bows out respectably — holding the Wolverines under 70 when no other team came close. Rick and Corey agree the right two teams were in the final.
2. UCLA Runs Away With the Women's Crown
Lauren Betts and the Bruins make it look easy. Geno Auriemma, still stewing over a pregame handshake dispute with Dawn Staley, apparently forgot to coach. South Carolina won in a rout in the semis.
3. Lakers in Trouble: Luka and Reeves Are Both Out
Luka's hamstring and Reaves out four to six weeks have Rick ready to call it. Corey's more measured but not optimistic. The real question is whether the Dodgers analytics crew now influencing the franchise can build real depth around the stars — the OKC model is staring them in the face.
4. Dexter Lawrence Wants Out. Corey Says Good Riddance.
Half a sack and a bad attitude don't earn a sympathy tour. Corey trusts Harbaugh to either get more out of Lawrence or flip him for picks. Rick enjoys watching the blood pressure spike.
5. Pop That Culture: Wizards Pull an April Fools Prank, Then Apologize for It
Blindfolded fan, $10K shot, the whole staff cheering... and he missed. Rick and Corey both think the Wizards' apology was the real mistake. Cue a fond trip back to the Donald Sterling Clippers era, Smitty's legendary Philly cheesesteak stand, and a young Rick Garcia getting summoned to Sterling's Beverly Hills penthouse.
The tournament's over. The NBA's getting messy. And somewhere, Donald Sterling is still alive at 91 and wondering why nobody called.

Opening Day Vibes, Duke's Collapse, and What MJ Was Really Like w/ Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan kick off the new baseball season with first impressions from Opening Weekend, weigh in on the ABS challenge system that's changing the game one half-inch at a time, mourn Duke's Final Four exit (one of them more dramatically than the other), debate Luka Doncic's technical foul problem, and close out with a Pop That Culture segment that gets surprisingly personal — from Michael Jordan's generosity with ball boys to a hundred-dollar bill from Ed McMahon in the back of a limo.
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Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. Early Returns: Mets, Dodgers, and the Annual Illusion of Hope
Four games in and the usual suspects are already looking the part. The Mets are checking early boxes, the Dodgers have their lineup firing, and the Yankees are off to a solid start. Rick invokes Tommy Lasorda's classic "We were gonna go 162 and 0?" wisdom on keeping perspective, while Corey is, predictably, wearing the Mets socks and firing on all cylinders. Even the feel-good teams like Pittsburgh and Kansas City get their annual moment in the sun before the standings start sorting themselves out.
2. The Booing of Bichette and New York's Love Language
Bo Bichette's rocky start at Citi Field — including a stretch of 10+ strikeouts in three games — gets the full treatment. Rick makes the case for a probationary period; Corey will not hear of it. Both agree, though, that Bichette handled it exactly right: owned the slump, got back to work, and turned in a strong game in St. Louis immediately after. The consensus is he'll be fine, particularly once the fans see him grinding at third base and putting up the kind of two-out RBI numbers he's shown throughout his career.
3. The ABS Challenge System Is Good for Baseball
MLB's new automated ball-strike challenge rule has both hosts genuinely excited. Each team gets two challenges per game, and you keep them if you're right. Rick loves the strategy angle; Corey loves the drama it's already creating — citing a sequence where Salvador Perez of the Royals correctly challenged three calls in a row against the same umpire, essentially sending a very polite message. The system also raises accountability questions for umpires whose misses run well beyond the half-inch gray area.
4. Duke's Collapse and the Final Four
Corey unloads. Duke led for most of the game, UConn was 1-for-17 from three at one point, and then... Cayden Boozer. Just had to hold the ball. He didn't hold the ball. Rick compares UConn's grinding, swarming, adjustment-by-adjustment comeback to the best-coached teams in any sport. Both agree the Final Four — UConn vs. Illinois, Arizona vs. Michigan — is genuinely compelling, and the conversation opens into a broader discussion about coaches like Danny Hurley who may simply be built for the college game, recruiting and all.
5. Luka, Technicals, and the Case for Playing with Your Elbows Up
Luka Doncic's 16th technical foul triggered an automatic suspension, and the guys debate whether that's the league protecting its refs or punishing exactly the competitive fire that makes Luka great. Rick draws the Kurt Rambis/Dennis Rodman line: physical play earns some grace; jawing at the referee while the other team's running a fastbreak does not. Karl Anthony Towns gets a cameo here too — someone apparently got in his ear around January, and his second-half numbers suggest it worked.
6. Pop That Culture: What the Greats Were Really Like Behind the Scenes
A former Knicks ball boy's appearance on the Mark Jackson Show sets off a genuinely warm segment. The ball boy named Michael Jordan as the most generous player he encountered — more than Isaiah Thomas, more than Dominique Wilkins, more than anyone. Rick pushes back with the Barkley-Shaq "MJ was cheap with his rich friends" counterpunch, which both hosts find completely reasonable. From there: Wayne Gretzky at a poker party, Rick handing Larry Holmes a $5 tip at a Vegas limo arrival in 1986, Eddie Murray tossing Rick his leather jacket in Montreal because it was cold. And Corey's own story — driving Ed McMahon as a young limo driver in LA, airport run, 15 minutes, $100 bill every time. The best people, it turns out, show up the same way whether the cameras are on or not.
Baseball's back. The arguments, as always, are just getting started.

Lakers, Brackets, and the Puck That Started a Fight | Rick Garcia & Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan break down the NBA stretch run with Lakers-Pistons, react to a wide-open Sweet 16, debate flag football's Olympic future, settle the Jack Hughes puck dispute, and close with a Pop That Culture tribute to Chuck Norris.
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Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. Lakers Lose Nine-Game Streak, But Corey Isn't Worried
Detroit snapped LA's winning streak in a game that actually left Corey more confident in the Lakers. Coming back from 16 down in the third, leaning on a new-look LeBron operating more from the post, and getting role players like Luke Kennard to step up was encouraging. Rick's bigger concern: the bench goes about four deep, and that's a problem in a playoff series. The consensus is that depth could be the Achilles heel — same issue that hurt the Knicks last year.
2. Sweet 16: Duke and St. John's Are the Game to Watch
Both hosts are high on Duke but hedging. Cam Boozer had a quieter first half in round two, which means he can be corralled — at least temporarily. The Duke-St. John's matchup is the one to circle, with Zuby Ejiofor as the counter to the Boozers and Dylan Darling as the kind of player you watch even when the ball isn't near him. Rick's dream final: Duke vs. Michigan. Corey's coaching tell: watch the stretch from eight minutes to three minutes in each half to see which team is truly built for March.
3. Flag Football: Entertaining, But Are You Actually Sold?
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic was fun in spots — Brady to Diggs is always watchable. But Rick and Corey land in the same place: it's a different sport, it requires a different body type and skillset, and the real worry is NFL players risking their careers in an exhibition. Put a red jersey on the QBs, or better yet, just keep Jaxson Dart off that field. They'll watch it during the Olympics. They're not ready to be fans yet.
4. Give Jack Hughes the Puck
The Hockey Hall of Fame kept the puck from Jack Hughes' gold-medal goal, and Corey's verdict is simple: give it back. The Hall of Fame is the Hockey Hall of Fame, not an NHL institution, so the claim is murky. The puck was Olympics property to begin with. Hughes donated his time without pay. And the best argument he made — his dad kept records on all three NHL sons — almost convinced Corey to flip back to the other side. Almost. Rick sees the other view: something that significant belongs to the world. But Jack should get the puck.
5. Pop That Culture: Remembering Chuck Norris
Rick's personal tribute to the martial artist, actor, and US National Karate Champion, who passed away at 86 shortly after posting a birthday video that showed him still sparring. Rick trained briefly at a Chuck Norris studio in Sherman Oaks and later raced alongside Norris at the Mint 400 in Las Vegas — where Chuck answered a competitor's rollover by slapping Rick's knee and flooring it. The takeaway: one of the genuinely nicest people in the room, deeply competitive, and gone far too suddenly for a guy who looked like he had more rounds left.
The bracket's busted. The playoffs are coming. Keep watching.

Gary Apple Joins the Double Team: Mets, Madness, and War Stories w/ Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan open with a World Baseball Classic check-in and bracket talk before bringing in the big guest: SNY veteran Gary Apple, who joins the Double Team to break down the 2026 Mets, reflect on 20 years at the network, and trade war stories about Bill Parcells, Kareem, and the late-night legends of KMOX Radio. The Pop That Culture segment closes things out with a tour of sports records so outrageous they make Bam Bam's 83-point night look modest.
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Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. WBC: Good for the Game, Nerve-Wracking for Mets Fans
The US punched through to the championship game against Venezuela, and Mets pitching phenom Nolan McLean is set to start the title game. Rick and Corey agree on the WBC's appeal for growing baseball internationally, but Corey can barely enjoy it. With McLean already throwing a tick harder than he was at the end of last season, the last thing Mets Nation needs is a dead-arm period hitting him in June. Corey floats an idea that actually makes a lot of sense: move the WBC to an extended mid-season break, replacing the All-Star Game the way the NHL runs the Four Nations tournament. Less ramp-up risk. More stakes. Less Edwin Diaz-style heartbreak.
2. March Madness Preview: Duke, Michigan, and the Bracket Nobody Can Predict
Corey is all in on Duke as the overall No. 1 seed, even though they had a rough stretch down the stretch missing two key starters including their star center. Rick thinks Michigan and Duke are the two teams to watch, but notes that a shorthanded UCLA squad lost players in their conference tournament, which opens up a broader debate: do conference tournaments even serve a purpose? The short answer from both hosts is: not really. The Cinderella conversation is alive and well, and everyone's bracket will be busted by Sunday.
3. Double Team: Gary Apple on 20 Years at SNY, the Mets, and Being "Center Me Up" Ready
Gary Apple has been part of SNY since the network launched on March 16, 2006, and the Double Team segment marks his 20th anniversary on the air almost to the day. He joins Rick and Corey to share what it was like to be the first voice on a brand new network, what he's learned from working alongside Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling, and Howie Rose, and why information is king no matter how long you've been doing this. On the Mets, Gary is cautiously bullish:
The rotation looks deeper than it has in years. Freddie Peralta leads the way, McLean has star potential, and Kodai Senga has had a strong spring. The one concern: Sean Manaea's velocity is down, sitting around 89 mph. They have the depth to cover it, but it's worth watching.
The lineup loses Pete Alonso's power, but gains a more aggressive offensive approach with Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, and the continued evolution of Juan Soto, who figures to see far fewer steal-friendly situations with this lineup construction.
Carson Benge, the two-way Oklahoma State product, has done everything asked of him in camp and Gary sees no reason not to hand him the right field job.
The bullpen has the pieces. Devin Williams (the Air Bender) is the key. If he's the Milwaukee version of himself and not the 2025 Yankees version, this pen can hold late leads. Gary also floated "The Dreamweaver" as a nickname for Luke Weaver's changeup, and we're choosing to endorse this.
The bottom line: David Stearns runs a long-game operation. The real benchmarks are Memorial Day and the trade deadline. Get to October healthy, and anything can happen.
4. Who's the Team to Beat? (The Dodgers. It's Still the Dodgers.)
Rick asks the question. Gary gives the honest answer without flinching: the Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series titles, they're built correctly from top to bottom, and they do everything right. That said, both World Series went deep. Gary thinks the Mets are a legitimate National League contender. Corey agrees, #LFGM.
5. Women's Sports Then and Now
Rick and Gary get into how far women's sports has come since their early days scrambling for camera time in local TV newsrooms. Gary's niece is a goalkeeper committed to play soccer at Georgia. His daughter went to UCLA during the rise of Cori Close's program. The WNBA is drawing real audiences. Caitlin Clark is a must-watch. Rick's family watches every US Women's National Team match. The consensus is that the ascent is real, it's long overdue, and the one note of caution is the WNBA not overplaying its hand in the current CBA situation.
6. War Stories: Parcells Yells at the Wrong Guy, Kareem Goes Off in Phoenix
Rapid-fire closing segment delivers two gems. Gary Apple got an earful from Bill Parcells in the bowels of Giants Stadium over a prediction he didn't even make (that was Warner Wolf's call, Bill). Rick got confronted by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Phoenix for the crime of showing up with a camera while Kareem was mid-interview with the newspaper guys. Both men survived, both have told these stories at every dinner party since.
And of course: the story of Gary asking for a tie while Rick was having a cardiac event in the newsroom. "Should I get my tie?" remains one of the great moments in Los Angeles sports media history.
7. Pop That Culture: Sports Records That Won't Fall (Probably)
Bam Bam's 83-point game against Washington was the jumping-off point, but the real conversation was about records that feel untouchable. The shortlist:
Wilt Chamberlain, 100 points and 25 rebounds in a single game. Still standing. Almost certainly permanent.
Shohei Ohtani's Game 4 in the 2025 World Series: 10 strikeouts, three home runs. A two-way performance that may genuinely never be matched.
Norm Van Brocklin, 554 passing yards in 1951: Remarkable for any era, and he did it for the Los Angeles Rams.
Flipper Anderson, 336 receiving yards, one touchdown: All those yards and somehow only one score.
Adrian Peterson, 296 rushing yards in a single game: He nearly became the first player in NFL history to break 300.
Darryl Sittler, 10 points in one game in 1976: Six goals, four assists. Gretzky matched the single-game assists record three times. As Corey noted, the lead was buried: Wayne Gretzky tied the record. Three times.
The season is still on paper. The arguments are about to get real.

Are the Knicks for Real? Mets Optimism & NBA Contenders with Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan kick off with some NBA back-and-forth before wading into the World Baseball Classic, NFL free agency chaos, and a genuinely fun NHL jersey swap story involving a mascot, a Rolex, and a bread-themed nickname.
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Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. Knicks-Lakers: Great Game, or Fool's Gold? The Knicks took the L in LA this time, but neither host is convinced either team is built for a deep playoff run. Mikal Bridges went scoreless. LeBron sat out. The real question hanging over the Lakers isn't whether they can beat the Knicks; it's whether LeBron James can accept a reduced role before the playoffs start. Rick floats the idea of starting him but pulling him early. Corey wonders if the team is actually better without him. Neither man is ready to answer that question out loud.
2. The East Belongs to Boston (Probably) With Jayson Tatum back and looking sharp after a brief rust-off period, both hosts land on the same conclusion: Boston is the team to beat in the East. The Knicks sit third, Cleveland lurks behind them, and Detroit is the mild surprise nobody fully trusts yet. Rick and Corey agree the NBA Finals most likely comes down to Celtics vs. Oklahoma City, with San Antonio as an underdog to shock everyone.
3. World Baseball Classic: Patriotic, But at What Cost? Rick pulls out a WBC shirt from his sportscaster days. Corey remains skeptical of the whole enterprise, not because the baseball isn't good, but because the timing is brutal. The Edwin Diaz knee injury in the 2023 WBC cost the Mets a closer for over a year. Now Nolan McLean is out there hitting 97-98 mph for Team USA when Corey wants him saving bullets for a full Mets season. Rick agrees the season is already too long, floats the pitch clock as one of baseball's genuinely smart recent fixes, and both hosts wonder if there's a smarter calendar solution nobody in ownership will ever accept.
4. NFL Free Agency: Giants, Rams, and the Quarterback Carousel The Giants land Isaiah Likely from Baltimore and linebacker Tremaine Edmonds — two smart, targeted additions that give Jaxson Dart a security blanket and new head coach John Harbaugh a linebacker who fits the defense. Meanwhile, the Rams go all-in on their secondary, trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jalen Watson, shoring up the exact weakness that cost them a Super Bowl trip. Rick's main concern: they gave up a lot of draft capital. The bigger league-wide conversation centers on quarterbacks — Malik Willis in Miami, Minshew in Arizona, Daniel Jones clinging to a transition tag in Indianapolis, and whether a good system can unlock a quarterback that a bad one buried.
5. Panarin, Perry, and the Mascot's Rolex Artemi Panarin gets traded to the Kings and tries to reclaim his number 10, only to find it belongs to Corey Perry. His fallback, number 72, belongs to Bailey the mascot. Panarin's solution: gift the mascot a Rolex. The whole arrangement became moot when Perry was dealt to Tampa Bay, freeing up 10 anyway. No word on whether Bailey had to return the watch.
Spring training has begun. Hope is undefeated. For now.

Spring Training Optimism, Knicks vs. Spurs, and Marty McSorley's Bar Fight

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan kick off spring training season with a deep dive into the New York Mets' offseason makeover, debate whether the Knicks have championship DNA, and close out with a genuinely wild story involving an NHL enforcer, a Manhattan Beach bar, and a fight that had nothing to do with him — but almost did.
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Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. Marty McSorley and the Art of the Enforcer
Before the show even gets going, Rick's Kings trade sparks a memory: Rick spent time with Marty McSorley during the Gretzky-era LA Kings — including an interview conducted entirely from the penalty box, where McSorley had essentially spent close to a year of his life. The enforcer role is a lost art, and Rick makes a compelling case that hockey's most physical players were often its most gracious personalities off the ice. Bonus story: McSorley nearly got into a bar brawl in Manhattan Beach during the playoffs before Rick talked him out of it.
2. Are the 2026 Mets for Real? A Position-by-Position Breakdown
Corey comes in with full Mets optimism and, for once, has receipts. The two go position by position against the standard-bearing Dodgers — and while the Dodgers hold clear advantages at catcher (Will Smith), right field (Kyle Tucker), and the top of the rotation (four aces vs. "a guy who pitched for a month and a half"), Corey makes credible cases at shortstop (Lindor), third base (Bichette's clutch hitting and arm strength), and a bullpen depth that may actually beat what LA trots out. Nolan McLean's rookie status, Luis Robert's upside in center, and the underrated Tobias Myers all factor in. Rick remains affectionately skeptical; Corey remains constitutionally incapable of pessimism in March.
3. Knicks vs. Spurs: Previewing a Possible Finals Matchup?
The conversation turns to the NBA after the Knicks became the first team to beat San Antonio in 12 games. Corey raises the possibility of a Knicks-Spurs Finals matchup — not as a stretch, but because both teams are real. The Spurs went 11-0 in February and are clearly the class of the West. The Knicks sit third in the East with a streaky-but-improving résumé, a dynamic bench (Mitchell Robinson, Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet), and a Karl-Anthony Towns who's been playing his best ball since digging out of a January slump. Detroit remains the elephant in the room, having beaten New York all three meetings this season.
4. The West Is Wide Open Too
OKC is legitimate. Denver with Jokic is never to be ignored. Minnesota — with Ant Edwards, Gobert, Julius Randle, and Donte DiVincenzo — is sneaking up on people. Rick and Corey both agree: whoever comes out of the West will have been tested.
5. Perks of the Trade: Jack Hughes, Joe DiMaggio, and the Age-Old Equation
Jack Hughes on SNL, Jack Hughes linked to pop stars and billionaire heiresses, Jack Hughes with a great smile and missing teeth. Rick uses this as a launching pad to discuss the timeless appeal of the professional athlete, from Namath's mink coat to Brady's modeling career. Both hosts answer the hypothetical: if you could play any sport at the professional level, what would it be? Rick goes quarterback. Corey, perhaps surprisingly, goes second base for the Mets. (And yes, he considered curling.)
6. Aerosmith Out, Muppets In
Disney's Hollywood Studios is retiring its 27-year-old Aerosmith-themed roller coaster and replacing it with a Muppets attraction. Corey is fully on board. Rick takes the opportunity to recall his Disneyland loyalty as a lifelong West Coaster, while Corey reminisces about growing up near Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey — where he spent a summer refurbishing antique Coca-Cola machines, which is exactly as specific and random as it sounds.
Spring training is underway. The arguments are just getting warmed up.

The Olympics Are Over, the NBA Gets Interesting and Mayweather Wants One More | w/ Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan close the book on the Winter Olympics, take stock of the NBA's second half, weigh in on the NFL's tush push debate, and venture into Pop That Culture with aging boxing legends and a certain fast food caviar stunt.
They revisit the curling rabbit hole nobody asked for, salute Alyssa Liu and the US hockey teams, debate whether the Lakers are genuinely dangerous or just convincing themselves they are, and wrestle with whether Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a legitimate comeback or a billionaire's last cash grab.
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Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. The Olympics Were On. Sort Of.
Neither host watched much, and curling is somehow to blame for both of them. Rick caught hockey in the semis. Corey discovered a genuine appreciation for Alyssa Liu's figure skating, crediting her two-year break from the sport with giving her the kind of expressiveness that pure athletic grind rarely produces.
2. Gold Medals and an Asterisk
The US men's hockey team won its first gold in 46 years, but Rick raises the uncomfortable question: does it count the same without Russia competing? Corey argues the current Russian Olympic program isn't the 1980 juggernaut anyway, so the asterisk is smaller than it sounds. The women's team won too, and both agree that story got buried.
3. Norway Won the Olympics. As in, All of It.
Final medal count: Norway took gold with 18 gold medals and 41 total. The US came in second with 12 gold and 33 total. Italy was third. Corey found this deeply poetic given the CrotchGate ski suit scandal from the prior episode.
4. Knicks vs. Lakers: A Tale of Two Franchises
The Knicks sit comfortably at No. 3 in the East. The Lakers are at No. 5 in the West, dangerously close to play-in territory. Rick gives the Knicks the edge, and Corey doesn't push back hard. Both see OKC as the class of the West, and both are quietly watching San Antonio grow up fast.
5. The Tush Push Lives On
The NFL's competition committee looks unlikely to revisit the Eagles' signature short-yardage play in 2026, which means it's essentially enshrined. Corey doesn't mind it — it's football at its most fundamental, trenches-and-poundage stuff. Rick's only gripe is the uncalled illegal procedure on the offensive line getting a head start. East meets West, ground-and-pound meets the sling route.
6. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Legacy Fight or Legacy Damage?
Floyd Mayweather, 48, and Manny Pacquiao, 47, are apparently headed back to the ring. Rick covered both fighters during their primes and has enormous respect for each. But 10 years out of the game is 10 years out of the game, and father time, as Corey notes, is the only truly undefeated fighter. They'll probably watch anyway.
7. McDonald's Caviar Was a Hard No
Valentine's Day came and went. Corey said please no before the segment even started. Rick explained it anyway: free caviar on McNuggets as a promotion. Nobody came away converted. Moving on.
Spring training is underway. The arguments are just getting warmed up.

Baseball Is Back (and So Is the Debate) with Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan kick off baseball season with a deep dive into the offseason moves that have everyone talking and at least one list that has Corey fuming about West Coast bias.
They break down the Dodgers' superteam additions of Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker, the Mets' stacked roster and farm system, and why teams like Pittsburgh can scout great talent but can't hold onto it. They also get into the salary cap debate, Steve Cohen's "no captain" declaration, and whether meddling owners ever really help their teams.
And in Pop That Culture, they tackle the biggest controversy heading into the Winter Olympics: Norway's ski jumping suits, a crotch-area aerodynamics scandal that has to be heard to be believed.
Find Us On
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Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. The Dodgers Just Keep Getting Better
Yahoo Sports graded the Dodgers' offseason an A+, and it's hard to argue. Adding Edwin Diaz from the Mets and Kyle Tucker as a free agent gives them arguably the deepest roster in the game (even if Tucker now ranks as maybe the seventh-best player on his own team).
2. Corey Is Very Excited About the Mets (No Surprise There)
Two surefire Hall of Famers in Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, a legit ace in Freddie Peralta, a deep rotation, improved defense up the middle, and a top-five farm system, even after trading prospects. Rookie of the Year candidate Nolan McLean headlines a wave of young talent coming up. Corey believes. Rick is... skeptical.
3. The "Most Improved" List Has a West Coast Bias Problem
A MLB.com ranking of teams that improved most this offseason had the Giants and Rockies ahead of the Mets. The Rockies! Corey had thoughts. Many thoughts. The list is based on "projected WAR," which only raises more questions.
4. Small-Market Teams Are Wasting Their Advantages
Pittsburgh has one of the best farm systems in baseball, including the top overall prospect, but keeps developing players for wealthier teams to sign away. Rick and Corey agree the game needs a salary floor, not just a luxury tax, to force lower-payroll owners to actually invest in their teams.
5. Steve Cohen Says No Captains, Ever
The Mets owner drew headlines by declaring there will never be a team captain while he owns the club. Rick's take: that's exactly the kind of call owners shouldn't be making. Corey's take: Cohen is actually a good owner who trusts his front office. And Lindor leads whether he has a C on his jersey or not.
6. CrotchGate Comes to the Winter Olympics
Norway's ski jumping team has been caught altering the crotch area of its suits to gain an aerodynamic edge. The physics actually make sense. A roomier suit creates lift during the V-position jump. Some athletes allegedly went further than just tailoring. Rick and Corey debate whether this is innovative gamesmanship or just cheating. There is only one correct answer. Or maybe two.
The season starts. The arguments never do.

Seahawks Win Super Bowl LX, MVP Debate, and the Best Halftime Show Ever | w/ Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan break down Seattle’s 29 to 13 Super Bowl win over New England, a defensive chess match that turned into a fourth quarter statement. From Mike Macdonald’s masterclass on defense to questions about whether the Patriots were truly ready for the moment, the guys sort through what this game really said about both franchises.
From there, the conversation turns to the league awards, including Matthew Stafford’s razor thin MVP win over Drake Maye and what that vote says about quarterback value, schedule strength, and yes, a little East Coast bias.
And in Pop That Culture, Rick and Corey revisit the evolution of the Super Bowl halftime show from marching bands to Michael Jackson to Prince in the rain, plus their favorite commercials from this year’s game.
Find Us On
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
Key Takeaways
1. Seattle’s Defense Was the Real MVP
The Seahawks held the Patriots to 13 points and controlled the game from the jump. Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme flustered Mike Vrabel’s offense and exposed how far New England still has to go.
Kenneth Walker took home MVP honors, but the case could have easily been made for the entire Seahawks defense or even kicker Jason Myers after five field goals.
2. Were the Patriots Ready?
Rick argues New England benefited from a favorable schedule and was not battle tested the way Seattle was in the NFC West. Corey agrees Denver with Bo Nix might have made for a more competitive Super Bowl matchup.
The Patriots are ahead of schedule. They just may not be there yet.
3. The MVP Vote Sparks Debate
Matthew Stafford won league MVP by one vote over Drake Maye. Stafford’s 46 touchdowns to 8 interceptions compared to Maye’s 31 to 8 makes the margin feel surprisingly tight.
The debate touches on schedule strength, volume stats, efficiency, and whether geography, i.e. "East Coast Bias" influences national perception.
4. How the Halftime Show Became a Cultural Event
Rick shares a behind the scenes story from the 1993 Super Bowl at the Rose Bowl when Michael Jackson changed halftime forever after Fox counter programmed with In Living Color.
They debate the greatest halftime performances ever, including:
Prince in the rain
U2 after 9/11
Bruce Springsteen bringing pure rock energy
There is only one correct answer. Or maybe three.
5. Commercial Winners and Losers
Favorites this year included:
Ben Stiller’s slapstick Instacart spot
Emma Stone’s noir style ad
Dunkin’s Boston heavy ensemble featuring Ben Affleck and Tom Brady
A surprisingly heartfelt Rocket Mortgage moment
Rick calls it a slightly down year overall. Corey disagrees on a few standouts.
Seattle adds another championship to its total. The East still leads the historical count. The debate rolls on.
The games end. The arguments do not.

Pressure Everywhere: Super Bowl Picks, NBA Trades, and Legacy with Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan break down Championship Weekend in the NFL, starting with Seattle’s latest narrow escape and why late game margins continue to define January football.
From there, the conversation turns to Super Bowl LX, with the Seahawks facing the Patriots in a true East Meets West matchup. The guys dig into Sam Darnold’s long road back, Drake Maye’s rapid rise, and whether Seattle’s defense and overall balance give them the edge when it matters most.
The discussion then moves to the league wide coaching shuffle. Rick and Corey examine what separates smart resets from rushed hires, how coaching trees shape opportunity, and why quarterback development still lives or dies with the right system. From McVay protégés to coordinators betting on themselves, the ripple effects are everywhere.
On the NBA front, trade deadline tension takes center stage. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future sparks debate about what star power actually costs, whether the Knicks have the assets to make a real move, and why James Harden’s latest trade request lands with more fatigue than intrigue. The Lakers, Warriors, and Cavaliers all factor into a rapidly shifting landscape.
In Pop That Culture, the focus turns to the All Star game and what exhibition sports have become. Is competition gone for good, or just evolving? The conversation lands on LeBron James, legacy, and whether honoring longevity still matters in a league obsessed with what’s next.
Episode Highlights
NFL Championship Weekend
Seattle survives again and proves why January games are decided by inches
Quarterback trust and defensive pressure as the real difference makers
Why some teams thrive in chaos while others crack
Super Bowl Preview
Seahawks vs Patriots as the ultimate East Meets West matchup
Sam Darnold’s persistence and late career credibility
Drake Maye, turnovers, and the X factors that could swing the game
Coaching Fallout
McVay’s coaching tree and why the lab still matters
Coordinators betting on themselves versus waiting for the right job
Quarterback development, timing, and organizational patience
NBA Trade Deadline
Giannis as a franchise altering decision, not just a trade
What the Knicks would have to give up and whether it’s worth it
Harden fatigue, Lakers limitations, and Golden State as a sleeper
Pop That Culture
Why All Star games feel different now
LeBron, legacy, and coming off the bench
What fans miss about sacrifice at the highest level
Big Picture
Championships are decided by margins, not narratives
Coaching stability still beats constant resets
Star power only works when culture can absorb it
Legacy is shaped as much by exits as entrances
Find Us On
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Follow Rick Garcia: @RickGarciaNews on X (Twitter)
Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more
The games end. The arguments don’t.
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