Sports Spectrum Podcast

Episode 478 Nick Hill is the head football coach for Southern Illinois University. He became the school's quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator in January 2014, and was named the Salukis' interim head coach in December 2015. He's been the permanent coach since. Under Hill's guidance, the team improved from two wins in 2018 to seven in 2019.   Hill played his college football at Southern Illinois as well, from 2004-2007. A quarterback, he had a few stints in the NFL with the Bears in 2008 and the Packers in 2012, and he also played in the Arena Football League.   On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Hill about his role as a coach, how he's adjusting to this new normal during the pandemic, leading his team during a quarantine, the improvement the team made in 2019, why relationship must come before discipline, his recent desire to learn the scriptures, and how he leads his football team as a follower of Christ.   For more stories of sports and faith, check out our website http://SportsSpectrum.com 

BONUS EPISODE Natalie Chou plays college basketball for UCLA. She just finished her redshirt junior season after transferring to the Bruins from Baylor University.    Natalie played her high school basketball in Plano, Texas where she helped her team to a Texas 6a State Regional Championship in 2015 and was a Mcdonald's High School All-American in 2016.    She was a member of the USA Basketball U17 squad that won a Gold Medal in the FIBA U17 World Championships.   Chou's mom Quanli Li played basketball for the Chinese National Team.   On March 26, Chou wrote a first-person piece for ESPN on the anti-Asian racism that has taken place amidst the Coronavirus outbreak.    Today on the podcast, we talk to Natalie about why she wrote that piece for ESPN, the emotions she felt in seeing her season come to an abrupt end, how we can all be better in the words that we choose to call this pandemic, the impact her mother has had on her life and why her faith in Jesus has helped sustain her during this time of uncertainty.    For more stories of sports and faith, please check out our website http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 477 Jimmy Dykes covers college basketball as an analyst for ESPN. A 1985 graduate of the University of Arkansas, Dykes played college basketball under head coach Eddie Sutton before joining the coaching ranks as an assistant at places like Kentucky and Oklahoma State.   After scouting in the NBA for a few years, Dykes joined the broadcasting ranks and began his 19-year career with ESPN in 1995. Then from 2014 to 2017, he served as the women’s head basketball coach at his alma mater of Arkansas. Upon his departure from coaching, he returned to broadcasting at ESPN.   In March of 2020, he released his new book "The Film Doesn't Lie: Evaluating Your Life One Play at a Time"   On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Jimmy about the cancellation of March Madness, how the pandemic has helped him reflect on his relationship with God, why he wrote his new book and the "non-negotiables" in his life.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out our website: http://SportsSpectrum.com 

BONUS Michael Schlact had dreams of making it to the big leagues as a pitcher. He was selected in the third round of the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft by the Texas Rangers after a stellar high school pitching career in Marietta, Georgia.    His professional pitching journey would last 9 seasons and he would reach as high as the double-A level but injuries and other circumstances caused him to retire after the 2014 season.    A few years later, he found himself in coaching and soon would be managing professional baseball with the Fargo-Moorhead Red Hawks in the Independent League. He would remain there for the 2017 and 2018 season before getting a call that would change his life.    In 2019, he was named as a minor league pitching coach with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2020, he'll continue in the same role and look to develop young players hoping to make their way to Milwaukee someday.    On this episode of the podcast, we go deep with Michael Schlact on that minor league life and the decision to follow God's call from Independent League baseball to the Milwaukee Brewers. We also hear how Michael leaned on God as his major league pitching dream began to die and his new coaching journey began to take shape.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out our website - http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 476 Brian Tome is the pastor of Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, 2017's fastest-growing church in America. Brian has authored four books including his best-seller, "The Five Marks of a Man. He also hosts The Aggressive Life podcast and is part of AMAZON PRIME's new show Phantom Lake, a seven episode series where Tome becomes a father-figure to nine other motorcycle riders as he leads them on a physically and mentally grueling ride to the rim of the elusive Phantom Lake in rural Wyoming. On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Brian Tome about his passion for manhood, his new AMAZON PRIME show, how the death of Kobe Bryant has opened up more conversations on faith, and how he's stewarded overseeing one of the largest churches in America. * Interview recorded prior to coronavirus outbreak.

BONUS EPISODE Selected in the 29th round of the 2002 MLB Amateur Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, Erik Kratz has lived the pro baseball life for the past 18 years. He waited eight years until finally making his MLB debut in July 2010 at the age of 30 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His MLB journey has taken him from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, Toronto, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Houston, Pittsburgh and the Yankees in 2017. In 2018, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers and was part of a team that came within one game of the World Series. In the 2018 NLDS against Colorado, Kratz went 5-for-7 with two RBI, including a three-hit game in the clinching Game 3. He was the oldest player to make his postseason debut since Lave Cross of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1905. In 2019, Erik played for four different teams including Milwaukee, San Francisco, Tampa and back to the Yankees. On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Erik about how his life and his baseball journey is currently being affected by the Coronavirus outbreak, his thoughts on returning to play this season, his hope to play in the Olympics and the lesson God has taught him during these last few weeks in quarantine. For more stories of sports and faith, check out our website - http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 475 * Interview recorded prior to coronavirus outbreak. Chris Cauley is a music director, vocalist, and sports fanatic from Atlanta, GA. Drawing from over 18 years’ experience in live event production, including touring as an artist, being a part of NBC’s The Voice, and working with A-list artists & producers, Chris has a unique perspective into what makes production excellent and what drives a great live experience. Chris puts his production expertise to work for clients all over the country helping them create event wins for their people as owner of Four Carsons Entertainment. His clients include Dave Ramsey, Chick-fil-A, Delta, Microsoft UK, and The Atlanta Braves, just to name a few.” On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Chris about his experience on The Voice, his love for Atlanta sports, growing up a Braves fan, playing music for Jesus and what true success is. * Interview recorded prior to coronavirus outbreak.

Episode 474 * Interview recorded prior to coronavirus outbreak. Matthew Barnett is the co-founder of the Dream Center in Los Angeles, a 400,000 square-foot hospital-like building that sits next to the Hollywood freeway in Los Angeles, where it houses and helps homeless families, veterans, kids who have aged out of the foster care system and need a place to live, victims of human trafficking, and people who have addictions, all free of charge. Matt is also a pastor and the author of the new book "One Small Step: The Life-Changing Adventure of Following God's Nudges." On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Matthew about his new book, his experience running 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents, hearing God's nudge and voice, the importance of forgiveness and how Kobe Bryant's death has brought more people back to church in Los Angeles.  For more stories of sports and faith, check out our website - http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 473 Darryl Strawberry is an 8-time MLB All-Star who played 17 seasons in the big leagues with the Mets, Dodgers, Giants and Yankees. He is a four-time World Series champion, the New York Mets all-time leader in career home runs (252) and was inducted to the team’s hall of fame in 2010.   Nick Ahmed is a two-time Gold Glove winning shortstop with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft, and he was traded after the 2012 season to Arizona in a seven-player deal. He made his MLB debut on June 29, 2014 and has been with Arizona ever since.   Rod Hairston is pastor Messiah Community Church in Maryland and served as  chaplain and life-coach for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens for more than twelve seasons. He is the author of Cover Her, released in 2013 and Cover Him, released in 2019.    On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Darryl, Nick and Pastor Rod about manhood. What does it look like to be a man of God?  Darryl shares his testimony of growing up without Jesus and his struggles with the world. Nick shares his powerful story of coming to Christ in a minor league game and Pastor Rod talks about why it is so vital to be intentional in how we are as men in influencing our families.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out our website http://SportsSpectrum.com 

BONUS EPISODE Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac joined us LIVE on Facebook on Thursday March 26th to talk about how his recovery to a knee injury is coming, the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA season being suspended, becoming an ordained minister and living a life that glorifies Jesus. You can watch the interview on Facebook here and read more stories of sports and faith on our website - http://SportsSpectrum.com.