

The Al Galdi Podcast
Blue Wire
Longtime Washington, D.C. sports personality Al Galdi takes an in-depth look at D.C.-area sports every weekday, giving hard-hitting analysis on - and having some fun with - the Commanders, Nationals, Orioles, Capitals, Wizards, Terrapins, Hoyas and more.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 26, 2024 • 1h 18min
Episode 770: Commanders' NFL Draft and free-agency preview with PFF cap analyst Brad Spielberger and more
21:43 - Guest: Pro Football Focus salary-cap analyst Brad Spielberger on the Commanders' new-look front office with Adam Peters as general manager and Lance Newmark as assistant general manager, the team's new coaching staff led by head coach Dan Quinn, whether the Commanders should consider acquiring their new QB1 via free agency or trade, what the best path with their No. 2-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is, what the Commanders could get for quarterback Sam Howell in a trade, insight on potential targets for the Commanders in free agency and more55:55 - Capitals: analysis of a 3-2 overtime loss at the Florida Panthers01:01:44 - Wizards: thoughts on a 147-106 loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder and a 114-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers01:08:23 - College Basketball: breakdowns of Maryland's 63-46 win at Rutgers, Georgetown's 77-76 win at DePaul to end an 11-game losing streak, Virginia's 54-44 loss to No. 10 North Carolina and Virginia Tech's 79-64 loss at PittVisit PaulsonAndNace.com and tell Paulson & Nace that Al Galdi sent ya!Call Nova Fireplace And Stove at 571-513-3803, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and receive a 33-percent discount on an in-stock wood insert!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 23, 2024 • 50min
Episode 769: breakdown with PFF's Nick Akridge on Caleb Williams vs. Drake Maye vs. Jayden Daniels and more
15:14 - Guest: Pro Football Focus senior data analyst and Commanders fan Nick Akridge with a deep dive on the perceived top three quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft (in which the Commanders have the No. 2-overall pick) in USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels, including each guy's biggest strength, Akridge's biggest concern with each guy and what to make of Maye excelling in PFF's stable metrics, which have been shown to be predictive for future performance40:14 - Capitals: analysis of a 5-3 win at the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Caps' first winning streak of at least three games in more than two months46:06 - Wizards: discussion of a 130-110 loss at the Denver Nuggets in a game for which Wizards interim head coach Brian Keefe did not start Jordan PooleVisit PaulsonAndNace.com and tell Paulson & Nace that Al Galdi sent ya!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 22, 2024 • 53min
Episode 768: preview of 2024 NFL Scouting Combine from Commanders' perspective with Ben Standig and more
17:11 - Guest: Commanders insider Ben Standig of The Athletic on his interactions with various Commanders assistant coaches in an introductory session with the assistants, who from the Commanders will be attending the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, what to expect from the perceived top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft at the Combine, what he was told about North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who with the Commanders will have the second-biggest say on what is done at quarterback (assuming that general manager Adam Peters has the biggest say) and more49:42 - College Basketball: analysis of Maryland landing a highly-regarded recruit in Derik Queen, George Mason notching its first home win ever over a team ranked in an Associated Press Top 25 poll with a 71-67 win over No. 16 Dayton and Georgetown losing its 11th consecutive game with a 90-85 loss to St. John'sVisit PaulsonAndNace.com and tell Paulson & Nace that Al Galdi sent ya!Call Nova Fireplace And Stove at 571-513-3803, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and receive a 33-percent discount on an in-stock wood insert!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 21, 2024 • 49min
Episode 767: conversation with PFF's Steve Palazzolo on Commanders' new-look football operations and more
17:55 - Guest: Steve Palazzolo, Pro Football Focus' head of football product and the co-host of The PFF NFL Podcast, on the Commanders' new football-operations regime, whether the hiring of general manager Adam Peters or head coach Dan Quinn was most important, impressions of new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's offenses during his time as Arizona Cardinals head coach, which quarterback the Commanders should be thinking about with their No. 2-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, whether the team should attempt to trade up to the No. 1-overall pick, what the Commanders have in senior vice president of football strategy Eugene Shen, the future of PFF and more39:53 - Capitals: analysis of a 6-2 win over the New Jersey Devils in a game in which left wing Alex Ovechkin had two third-period goals and a primary assist47:11 - Maryland Basketball: breakdown of a 74-70 loss at WisconsinCall Catering By Uptown at 301-572-7744, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and get a five-percent discount on any Catering By Uptown wedding package!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 20, 2024 • 59min
Episode 766: chat with Lions radio announcer Dan Miller on Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark and more
14:23 - Guest: Dan Miller, the radio play-by-play announcer for the Detroit Lions and sports director for FOX 2 in Detroit, on what the Commanders have in new assistant general manager Lance Newmark off his 26 seasons with the Lions, what the Commanders can learn from the Lions' turnaround, what went wrong for new Commanders run-game coordinator/running-backs coach Anthony Lynn in his one season as Lions offensive coordinator, how Commanders senior personnel executive/advisor to the GM Martin Mayhew is viewed in terms of his many years with the Lions, what happened between the Commanders and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and more43:07 - Nationals: analysis of the Lerners no longer exploring selling the Nats53:56 - Virginia Basketball and Virginia Tech Basketball: breakdown of the Hokies' 75-41 blowout of the CavaliersCall Catering By Uptown at 301-572-7744, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and get a five-percent discount on any Catering By Uptown wedding package!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 19, 2024 • 1h 10min
Episode 765: conversation with Kevin Sheehan on Commanders' football-operations overhaul and more
13:53 - Guest: Kevin Sheehan, host of The Kevin Sheehan Show podcast, on the Commanders, including big-picture takeaways from the team's revamping of football operations, why the Commanders with their No. 2-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft should be thinking LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and what to make of the rising draft stock of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy...and Sheehan provides great perspective on legendary former Maryland head coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell off his death at the age of 9249:23 - Capitals: analysis of a 4-3 win at the Montreal Canadiens54:35 - College Basketball: thoughts on legendary former Maryland head coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell off his death at the age of 92...and breakdowns of Maryland's 85-80 loss to No. 14 Illinois, Georgetown's 70-54 loss to Villanova, No. 21 Virginia's 49-47 win over Wake Forest and Virginia Tech's 96-81 loss at No. 7 North CarolinaVisit PaulsonAndNace.com and tell Paulson & Nace that Al Galdi sent ya!Call Nova Fireplace And Stove at 571-513-3803, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and receive a 33-percent discount on an in-stock wood insert!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16, 2024 • 56min
Episode 764: Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr. reveal philosophies and more as Dan Quinn's staff is finalized
12:54 - Commanders: breakdown of the offensive portion of the now-finalized coaching staff for new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn...and reaction to and analysis of the best of what Kliff Kingsbury said during his introductory press conference as Commanders offensive coordinator, including what he looks for in quarterbacks and him distancing himself from the Air Raid offense36:33 - Commanders: breakdown of the defensive portion of the now-finalized coaching staff for new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn...and reaction to and analysis of the best of what Joe Whitt Jr. said during his introductory press conference as Commanders defensive coordinator, including a great description of the kind of defense that he'll run and insight into his relationship with QuinnVisit PaulsonAndNace.com and tell Paulson & Nace that Al Galdi sent ya!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 15, 2024 • 50min
Episode 763: Commanders raid Detroit Lions in hiring Lance Newmark as assistant general manager and more
18:42 - Commanders: in-depth reaction to and discussion of the Commanders poaching the Detroit Lions in hiring Lance Newmark as assistant general manager, demoting Martin Mayhew to senior personnel executive/advisor to the GM and Marty Hurney to advisor and reportedly hiring three more assistant coaches, including Anthony Lynn as run-game coordinator37:33 - Wizards: analysis of a 133-126 loss at the New Orleans Pelicans in a game in which Deni Avdija had 43 points and 15 rebounds...and thoughts on the reveal that the Wizards could have traded Kyle Kuzma to the Dallas Mavericks but didn't per his request47:17 - Maryland Basketball: breakdown of a 78-66 win over IowaCall Catering By Uptown at 301-572-7744, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and get a five-percent discount on any Catering By Uptown wedding package!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 14, 2024 • 1h 11min
Episode 762: film breakdown with Mark Bullock on Caleb Williams vs. Drake Maye vs. Jayden Daniels and more
16:41 - Guest: Commanders analyst Mark Bullock of MarkBullock.Substack.com with film-breakdown deep dives on the defense of new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and new Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., the offense of new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and the quarterback question for the Commanders with their No. 2-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft - USC's Caleb Williams vs. North Carolina's Drake Maye vs. LSU's Jayden Daniels01:00:18 - Capitals: analysis of 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche despite left wing Alex Ovechkin extending his goal-scoring streak to six games01:05:56 - College Basketball: breakdowns of Georgetown's 94-72 loss at No. 17 Creighton, No. 21 Virginia's 74-63 loss to Pitt and Virginia Tech's 83-75 win over Florida StateVisit PaulsonAndNace.com and tell Paulson & Nace that Al Galdi sent ya!Call Nova Fireplace And Stove at 571-513-3803, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and receive a 33-percent discount on an in-stock wood insert!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 13, 2024 • 55min
Episode 761: conversation with Air Raid-offense inventor Hal Mumme on Kliff Kingsbury and more
11:02 - Commanders: analysis of the Commanders reportedly hiring/keeping four more assistants for head coach Dan Quinn's coaching staff in Bobby Johnson as offensive-line coach, Ken Norton Jr. as linebackers coach, Ryan Kerrigan as assistant linebackers coach and pass-rush specialist and John Pagano as senior defensive assistant20:44 - Guest: former college-football head coach Hal Mumme, who invented the Air Raid offense, on new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury as a major force in the Air Raid revolution as both a player and coach, what exactly the Air Raid offense is, how it came to be, misconceptions about the offense, what the offense might mean for the Commanders regarding which quarterback they take via their No. 2-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and more48:40 - Wizards: reaction to a negative development for the plan for Wizards and Capitals home games to move to a new arena in the Potomac Yard area of Alexandria, Virginia beginning with the teams' 2028-2029 seasons...and breakdown of a 112-104 loss at the Dallas MavericksCall Catering By Uptown at 301-572-7744, mention that Al Galdi sent ya and get a five-percent discount on any Catering By Uptown wedding package!Interested in advertising on this podcast? Email sales@bluewirepods.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices