Sports Spectrum Podcast

Jordan Hulls is a former Indiana University basketball player, currently playing pro basketball overseas in Germany. Jordan was born and raised in the backyard of Indiana Hoosiers basketball in Bloomington, Indiana. In high school, he was the 2008-09 Gatorade Player of the Year and led Bloomington High School South to a perfect 26-0 record and a Class 4A IHSAA State Championship.  In college at Indiana, he led his club to back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances under head coach Tom Crean and played with future NBA players Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller and Yogi Ferrell.  After his college career, Jordan began a pro basketball journey that has seen him play overseas in Poland, Kosovo, Belgian and now Germany. In 2019, he was the FIBA Europe Cup Fan Vote MVP. Today on the podcast, we talk to Jordan about his crazy basketball journey, playing at Indiana University after growing up in Bloomington, what Indiana basketball is really about and the importance of Jesus Christ in his life.  --- If you enjoyed this podcast with Jordan, you'll love these conversations as well: - Tom Allen, Indiana Head Football Coach - Greg Tonagel - Indiana Wesleyan Men's Basketball Coach 

Kevin Burrell is the Area Scouting Supervisor with the Chicago White Sox. He has worked in pro baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 40 years. He was originally selected in the first round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th overall) and played 10 years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He reached as high as AAA before finishing his playing career in 1992. Today on the podcast, we talk to Kevin Burrell about his desire to use baseball as a mission field to share the Gospel. He also shares some fun stories of his 40 years in pro baseball and what it was like to be at Spring Training as a player with the New York Mets in 1986.  --- If you enjoyed this podcast, we know you'll love these conversations as well: – Nick Ahmed and Darryl Strawberry on Manhood – Sal Giardina – Pro Baseball Player

Dalton Risner was selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, and has started all 32 games of his NFL career. During his time in college, he turned in an All-American career at Kansas State, and also created the Risner Up Foundation, which is designed to help those in need. Today, Risner talks about the 2020 NFL season, why he’s rooting for Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl, how football isn’t where he finds his identity, and his favorite story of growing up on a ranch. --- If you enjoyed this podcast, we know you'll love these conversations as well: - Justin Simmons – Denver Broncos Safety - Clyde Christensen – Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Coach

Nick Ahmed is a shortstop for the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2011, 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. The University of Connecticut alum became the regular shortstop for the Diamondbacks in 2015, and is a two-time Gold Glove winner in 2018 and 2019. Today on the podcast, we travel to Nick's home in Massachusetts to talk with him about his offseason training, playing the 2020 season during a pandemic, the picture he drew as a young boy that sits in his workout gym, what it means to tame the tongue as a Christian in professional baseball and why he's a part of Compassion International's Fill the Stadium Initiative.  --- If you enjoyed this podcast, you'll love these conversations as well:  - Nick Ahmed from 2019 - Nick Ahmed and Darryl Strawberry on Biblical Manhood from 2020

James McCann is a catcher for the New York Mets. He signed a 4-year deal to come to New York in December, 2020 after spending the previous two seasons with the Chicago White Sox, including a berth in the All-Star game in 2019.  Originally selected in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft by the Tigers, McCann made his MLB debut on September 1, 2014 and played five seasons with Detroit before signing with Chicago in 2018.  On this episode of the podcast, we talk to James McCann about signing with the Mets, the importance of prayer in making the decision to come to New York, his 2019 All-Star appearance, what he learned during the 2020 pandemic, and how God gave peace to James during the premature birth of his twin boys back in December 2017.  --- If you enjoyed this podcast with James, we know you'll love these conversations as well: - James McCann from 2017 - Tony Beasley – Texas Rangers Coach

Dansby Swanson is entering his sixth season as the shortstop of the Atlanta Braves. He was originally the number one overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks back in 2015 before being traded in December 2015 to the Braves. In college at Vanderbilt, Dansby was named the 2014 College World Series Most Valuable Player after helping lead his club to the College Baseball World Series Championship. Last season, Swanson led the Braves to within a game of the World Series, and hit a NLCS Game 7 home run in a 3-2 loss to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished the shortened 2020 season with 10 homers and hit a career high .274 in 60 games. Today on the podcast, we talk to Dansby about the shortened 2020 season, what its like to hit a home run in a Game 7, how he coped with fear and anxiety and why intentionality is his one word for 2021. --- If you enjoyed this podcast with Dansby, we know you'll love these conversations as well: Dansby Swanson interview from 2018 Annie F. Downs - Author/Speaker

Shaun Nepstad and his wife Dianna founded Fellowship Church in Antioch, California in 2002. In nine years, the church has grown from 350 to over 5,000 people each week attending services.  In 2018, Fellowship Antioch was named of the 100 fastest growing churches in America.  Shaun's new book "Don't Quit In the Dip: Stay Focused on God's Promises for you" released in August of 2020.  Today on the podcast, we talk about what it means to not quit in the dip, Shaun's love for the Golden State Warriors, his amazing experience with Alabama football and Nick Saban, and trusting God while he was battling ulcerative colitis.  --- If you enjoyed this podcast, you'll love these conversations as well: Scott Sauls - A Gentle Answer Karen Kingsbury – NY Bestselling Author   

Barrett Jones is a former Alabama offensive lineman who was a member of three national championship teams under head coach Nick Saban. He was named first-team All-American in 2011 and 2012 and was awarded the Outland Trophy (best lineman in college football) in 2011.  He ended his Alabama career winning three BCS national championships and played a different position in each of those seasons, as an All-American guard, an All-American right tackle, and an All-American center.  Following his college career, Barrett was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Due to injuries, his career only lasted three years and by 2017, his pro football career was over at age 26.  Recently, he's been working as a color analyst on college football broadcasts with ESPN Radio.  Today on the podcast, we talk to Barrett about winning championships at Alabama, what makes coach Nick Saban special, what it means to commit to the process, the identity crisis he went through and the difference between justification and sanctification.  --- If you enjoyed this podcast with Barrett, you'll love these conversations as well: - Rich Wingo - Former Alabama Linebacker - Mac Powell, Singer/Songwriter – Third Day

Murray Garvin has been leading the South Carolina State Men's basketball program since taking over as head coach in 2012. The 2016 MEAC Coach of the Year joins us today to talk about the difficulties he's faced during this Covid 2020-2021 college basketball season and why he came up with the idea to hold a National Day of Prayer for college basketball coaches on March 1.  If you are a coach or basketball administrator and you'd like to be a part of the National Day of Prayer, please email jason@sportsspectrum.com and we will get you the info. 

Chelsea Newton is an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the University of Georgia's women's basketball program. She has coached an impressive list of 14 WNBA players and 17 All-Conference selections in just 12 seasons of college basketball coaching. Prior to coaching, Chelsea was a standout player with the University of Rutgers under legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer. After college, she was a second round selection in 2005 WNBA Draft to the Sacramento Monarchs, where she helped her team to a WNBA World Championship that same season. After her pro career as a player, she moved to coaching and returned to Rutgers as an assistant coach before coming to Georgia in 2015.  Today on the podcast, Chelsea shares the pivot she's had to make in recruiting during the pandemic, the importance of counseling, how her faith guides her, playing and learning from coach C. Vivian Stringer and the traits that make a great coach. --- If you enjoyed this podcast with Chelsea, we know you'll love these conversations as well: Cori Close - UCLA Women's College Basketball Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis – Minnesota Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach