Sports Spectrum Podcast

Jade McCarthy talks to Louisiana football coach Billy Napier about growing up in a faith-based family, the impact his dad had on him as a leader, lessons learned from Dabo Swinney and Nick Saban and the gift of opportunity. --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

Tyler Zombro is a pitcher with the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He pitched in college with George Mason University and then signed with the Rays in 2017. After going a few years through the minor league system, Zombro reached as high as AAA in 2019 and in 2021, was back in AAA pitching with the Durham Bulls. On June 3, 2021, Tyler was facing Brent Cumberland of the Norfolk Tides when a pitch was hit back up the middle at over 100 mph and hit Zombro in the right side of the head just above the ear knocking him unconscious. After being taken to the hospital, neurosurgeons at Duke University Hospital installed 16 plates and 36 screws during 2 1/2 hours of emergency surgery to stabilize Zombro’s skull Today on the podcast, we talk to Tyler about his journey of baseball, wisdom from his grandfather Wimpy, that scary day in June 2021, his desire to possibly pitch again, the prayer he prays on the mound, and how his faith in God has shown him that he's here for a bigger purpose than baseball.  --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

Monty Williams is entering his third season as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. In 2020-21, he led the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993 and finished second behind Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau for the NBA's Coach of the Year award.  Prior to his time in Phoenix, Williams had coaching stops in New Orleans, Portland and Oklahoma City. The former player was a No. 1 draft pick by the New York Knicks back in 1994. He played for 10 seasons with the Knicks, Spurs, Nuggets, Magic and 76ers before retiring after the 2003 season.  Today on the podcast, we talk to Monty Williams about success, humility, the 2021 NBA Finals experience, serving others and the legacy he wants to leave.  --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

Jon Seidl is the author of "Finding Rest: A Survivor's Guide to Navigating the Valleys of Anxiety, Faith and Life." He is also a huge Green Bay Packers fan and has worked with popular organizations like I Am Second and TheCourage and some of the media's biggest names including Glenn Beck, Kirk Cameron and Chip and Joanna Gaines.  Today on the podcast, Jon shares about his experience attending the Packers Super Bowl parade in 2011, his love for Milwaukee sports, experiencing tragedy and how God has helped him find rest in overcoming the losses of those closest to him. --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

This week's show is a story of trusting in God's plan and following a new direction with former NFL wide receiver Chansi Stuckey.  Chansi discusses his new coaching role with Baylor, the 5-1 start for the Bears, how God took him through uncertainty and brought him into coaching and what he learned from playing with Brett Favre during his time with the Jets. --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

Jeff Allen has been the Director of Sports Medicine with the University of Alabama since 2007. During his time at Alabama as their head Athletic Trainer, he's been a part of six national championships and is considered one of the most respected athletic trainers in the country.  Prior to this time with the Crimson Tide, Allen served as the head athletic trainer at Tennessee-Chattanooga and Central Florida.  Today on the podcast, we talk to Jeff about his journey to Alabama, why Nick Saban believed in him, how playing football helped guide him to becoming an athletic trainer and why his faith is crucial to the way he does his job and lives his life.  --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

Johnathan Franklin is a former NFL running back. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In college at UCLA, Franklin had a standout career rushing for a school record 4,403 yards and 31 touchdowns.  In his senior year of 2012, he led UCLA to a Pac-12 South Division championship rushing for 1,734 yards and 13 touchdowns. Expectations were high for the Los Angeles native and when he arrived at Green Bay, he immediately made an impact, rushing for 103 yards in Week 3 against Cincinnati. But in week 12 against the Vikings, Franklin suffered a neck injury that would end his football playing career at the age of 24. Today on the podcast, we talk to Johnathan Franklin about his career-ending injury, what he learned from God during that dark time, how he was able to push forward and find new purpose and why he's excited to be in his front office role with the Los Angeles Rams.  --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

Caleb Kaltenbach is the executive director of the Messy Grace Group and the author of God of Tomorrow and Messy Grace, the story of being raised by three activist gay parents, accepting Jesus, and seeing his parents trust Jesus. Today on the podcast, Jason and Caleb share their mutual love for football, Star Wars, Karate Kid, Marvel movies and whether Patrick Mahomes is the greatest KC Chiefs player ever. Then halfway through the podcast, we hear Caleb's incredibly powerful story and talk about his books Messy Grace and Messy Truth.  --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

It's a FOOTBALL FRIDAY. Today, Brock Huard talks to coach Hugh Freeze about the 2021 Liberty Flames, coaching QB Malik Willis, his faith in Jesus and the importance of staying humble.  --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.

Paul Mills is the men's head basketball coach at Oral Roberts University. For fourteen years from 2003-2017, Mills was an assistant coach with the Baylor Bears under head coach Scott Drew before taking the job with Oral Roberts on April 28, 2017. In the 2020-2021 season, Mills led Oral Roberts on an improbable March Madness run that saw them defeat No. 2 seed Ohio State and No. 7 seed Florida to advance to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to Arkansas 72-70. They were just the second 15 seed to ever advance to the Sweet Sixteen in the history of the NCAA Tournament. Today on the podcast, we talk to coach Paul Mills about his incredible March Madness run, the lessons learned from success and defeat, using the national platform as an opportunity to share the Gospel and his love for the movie Hoosiers. --- Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.