Sports Spectrum Podcast

Episode 164 Demario Davis is a linebacker with the New Orleans Saints. He was selected in the third round of the 2012 by the New York Jets where he played 4 seasons before signing a deal with the Browns. In 2017, he was dealt back to the Jets where he had a career year with 135 combined tackles and 5 sacks in starting all 16 games. In March of 2018, Davis became an unrestricted free agent and signed a 4-year deal to come to Louisiana and play with the Saints. In Week 4 of the season against the Giants, Demario's 11 tackles and 2 sacks helped the Saints to a 33-18 win over New York. For his efforts, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.  On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Demario about his transition to New Orleans, faith in the Saints locker room, social justice and why he's a part of the Players Coalition. For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 163 Ryan Carpenter is a hockey player with the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL. He played his college hockey at Bowling Green University in Ohio where he won the BGSU Rookie of the Year in 2012. In March of 2014, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Jose Sharks and joined their minor league club in Worcester, MA. He made his NHL debut in December 12, 2015 with San Jose and would remain on the roster in the postseason as the Sharks made the Stanley Cup Finals. In 2016-17, he played in 11 games for the Sharks and signed a 2-year deal in June of 2017. A few months later, in December of 2017, he was placed on waivers by San Jose and picked up the next day by the Vegas Golden Knights where he would thrive and help lead the expansion club to an improbable Stanley Cup Finals run. On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Ryan about his hockey journey, being a part of a Stanley Cup Finals run with Vegas, what trusting in God looked like to him during uncertain times, how he came to faith in Christ and his favorite NHL moment. For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 162 Samantha Ponder is the host of Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN during the football season. She began her career at ESPN with their Longhorn Network in 2011. Prior to her current role on Sunday Countdown, she had been a staple as a reporter on ESPN's College Gameday and college football broadcasts. In 2012, she married former NFL QB Christian Ponder is since then, has given birth to three children, two girls and a boy. In part 2 of a two-part conversation, Sam shares the amazingly crazy story of how she met her husband Christian, whether she likes social media, what the Lord is teaching her and the Bible verse that has stayed with her through the years.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 161 Samantha Ponder is the host of Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN during the football season. She began her career at ESPN with their Longhorn Network in 2011. Prior to her current role on Sunday Countdown, she had been a staple as a reporter on ESPN's College Gameday and college football broadcasts. In 2012, she married former NFL QB Christian Ponder is since then, has given birth to three children, two girls and a boy. On part 1 of a two-part conversation, we talk to Sam about balancing motherhood with her broadcasting career, making the transition from College Gameday to Sunday NFL Countdown, growing up with parents who are missionaries, and speaking out on issues as her platform has evolved over the years For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 160 Leslee and Matt Holliday have been married for 17 years. She is the mom to four children, 3 boys and a girl. On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Leslee Holliday about being a baseball wife, how she reacted when her husband Matt decided he wanted to play baseball again, where her faith in Christ began, what a WAG is in baseball, and how she stays grounded in Christ when life gets chaotic and uncertain. For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 159 Alex Kirilloff was selected in the first round of 2016 MLB Amateur Draft by the Minnesota Twins out of high school. He is one of the top prospects in baseball and at the top of the list of players to watch for in the next few years as he continues his pro baseball journey. In 2017, he missed the entire season due to recovery from Tommy John surgery but returned to the diamond in 2018 where he tore up Class A ball both in Cedar Rapids and then Fort Myers. His total stats for 2018 included a .348 average, with 20 home runs and 101 RBI. He also helped Fort Myers to the Florida State League championship after hitting .362 in just 65 games with the Miracle. On this episode of the podcast, we talk with the highly touted prospect about his dominant 2018 season, dealing with the hype of being a top prospect, playing in the 2018 MLB Futures Game, how Jesus Christ guides him each day, what marriage has been like for him after tying the knot at age 18 and the time he got "star struck" as a pro player. For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 158 Jimmy Spencer has been the head of athlete relations and content at the Uninterrupted since November 2015. He has covered the NBA for over a decade with such publications as the Sporting News, FOX Sports and Bleacher Report. In part 2 of our interview with Jimmy, we hear his incredible story of faith in Christ, how he lives that faith out in the workplace, the state of Christian athletes and why he is starting a new podcast that will allow athletes to talk about the thing that matters most to them.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 157 Jimmy Spencer has been the head of athlete relations and content at the Uninterrupted since November 2015. He has covered the NBA for over a decade with such publications as the Sporting News, FOX Sports and Bleacher Report.  In part 1 of our interview with Jimmy, we talk about having LeBron James as a boss, his favorite LeBron story, what its like working for the Uninterrupted and why giving athletes an opportunity to tell compelling stories is something he's passionate about and how they go about selecting athletes to tell their story.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 156 On December 14, 2011, Turner Gill was named head coach of Liberty University's football program. Since then, he has led the Flames to 6 wins or more in each of his 6 seasons. In 2018, Liberty began competing as an Independent at the NCAA Division 1 FBS level for the first time in its football history and will become bowl eligible the following year in 2019. Prior to his time at Liberty, Gill was the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks from 2010-2011, and the University of Buffalo from 2006-2009 where he was named MAC Coach of the Year in 2007. He also has assistant coaching jobs at Nebraska and in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers. Gill was an accomplished quarterback under head coach Tom Osborne at the University of Nebraska in the 1980's where he helped lead the Cornhuskers to a 28-2 record as a starter and finishing 4th for the Heisman Trophy in 1983. On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Coach Gill about coaching at Liberty in their first year as a Division 1 FBS program, his leadership style as a coach, spiritual disciplines he implements to himself and the team, what he learned from Tom Osborne at Nebraska and the mentors that have helped him on his football and faith journey. For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 155 Tyler Clutts' journey to the NFL was a crazy one. The former All-WAC defensive end at Fresno State went undrafted by the NFL in 2008. Instead, he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL. Then it was on to the Utah Blaze of the Arena League in 2010 as well as a stint in the UFL with the Sacramento Mountain Lions.  In 2011, Clutts finally got the call to be a part of an NFL organization with the Cleveland Browns. But his NFL career was also a whirlwind. He would have stints with the Browns, Bears, Texans, Dolphins and then his final three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.  Tyler is also a married man to Tiffany and has 4 children, including twins. His life is anything but ordinary. On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Tyler about his crazy football journey, how he trusted in the Lord to sustain him during the uncertainty of a pro football career, his struggle with identity as a football player, what it was like to score a touchdown at Lambeau Field as a member of the Cowboys, and where where he built his most lasting relationships in the NFL.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com