Special Teams

Weird. The best way to describe the journey of the 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers, who played without their Hall of Fame Quarterback until he got healthy just in time for one last game, and one last moment of glory. Terry Bradshaw's elbow betrayed him the final few years of his career, but he had one last shining moment before hanging up his cleats. How did the Steelers navigate the daily drama while they waited for him to heal? How did they keep winning games without him - until he had to save their season? How abrupt was it that his final game was cut shockingly short? And what the hell did the Jets fans do to the field following the game that lives in infamy? It's the 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers - Terry Bradshaw's Last Game.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk about 'bests' all the time. But how about what was probably the worst defense in a single season in NFL history? The numbers you will hear are absolutely stunning. Almost as stunning as the fact that things got so bad for the 1981 Baltimore Colts, the owner got so fed up he went to the booth to call plays during one game. Yep. It happened. From there we jump to the NBA, where the 1981 Western Conference Finals took place between the two teams who were not only the lowest seeds in the conference, but both had losing records overall - the Kansas City Kings & Houston Rockets. The playoffs involved two huge upsets, one Magic Johnson airball, and one future Hall of Famer who, in the end, probably shouldn't have said what he did. It's Special Teams 1981: Losers, and Winning Losers.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would happen if fans threw snowballs on the field during a football game? Well, now you'll be able to find out. This week on Special Teams we look back at three of the biggest football games in history that were affected by those special spheres of winter fun. Snowballs ruined a field goal that could've won a game between the 49ers and Broncos in 1985. Ten years later, fans at the Chargers-Giants game were so out of control with snowballs there were ejections, arrests, and team personnel knocked unconscious. Not to be outdone, Jason was in attendance at the infamous Michigan-Penn State snowball game the same year which resulted in an angry Joe Paterno yelling at fans on a stadium microphone. Bundle up. It's Special Teams: The Snowball Games.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AFC Championship game for the 1982 season between the Jets and the Dolphins is known more for it's weather than it's play on the field. "The Mud Bowl" was a shocking display of offensive ineptitude on a field better suited to swim in than play football on. The game has been shrouded in conspiracy theories for nearly 40 years, and it will probably stay that way forever. It had one great play to hang it's hat on, and all sorts of drama involving the losing team you have to hear to believe. It's Special Teams: The Mud Bowl. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dolphins and Patriots met under frozen and snowy circumstances late in the 1982 season in a game immortalized due to a snowplow. Yes, you may know the story of Mark Henderson, who cleared a path for the Patriots field goal to beat Miami. But how about the Dolphins almost winning the game after the plow's appearance by doing the impossible? Don Shula trying to get the Commissioner to reverse the outcome? Then there's the people who got game balls after it was over, why some Patriots actually think the snowplow hurt them (Whaaaaaat?), plus the plow's final resting place. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On January 10th, 1981, the Bengals hosted the Chargers in the AFC Championship Game - a contest that would go down as the coldest football game in NFL history, with temperatures reaching -39 degrees Fahrenheit (with wind chill). Hear all the crazy stories that came out of this game, (which included burnt referees) as players still feel the effects of this contest nearly 40 years later. What sunk the Chargers in what would turn out to be Air Coryell's best chance at a Super Bowl? We'll tell you. Plus, two players from this game would later on be dealt for another in one of the worst trades in NFL history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Miracle Bowl. Without a doubt, the 1980 Holiday Bowl is one of the top three college football bowl games of the past 40 years. Eric Dickerson and Craig James, the 'Pony Express' of SMU, owned the first 56 minutes. And then Jim McMahon led BYU on a once-in-a-lifetime comeback, complete with a touchdown that probably shouldn't have counted, a Hail Mary that defies explanation, and the beginning of a college football debate that we're still having in 2020. Oh, and the luckiest guy at the game may have been the play-by-play announcer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Buccaneers-Rams battle for the Super Bowl is one of the most underrated playoff games of the past 30 years. Strength against strength: The Rams Greatest Show on Turf offense never met a defense that stifled it as much as the Buccaneers did this day. It was shocking, nail-biting, and it came down to the Rams offense making their only play of the day thanks to a wide receiver who hadn't scored a touchdown all season. Oh, and the fun was just starting - as incredible controversy reigned late in the game due to a catch that wasn't (but really was). The NFL - and the wide receiver involved - haven't forgotten it over twenty years later. It's the Buccaneers-Rams 1999 NFC Championship Game: One Play and One Replay.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No one knew how MLB would return from the strike year of 1994. Well, it actually involved the most recently forfeited game in baseball history, the passing of the game's biggest legend, one player stepping up to bring the sport all the way back from the brink, something we hadn't seen in over 100 years, and a post-season we had NEVER seen. And it all culminates with the best single season team in baseball history who didn't win the World Series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason explains why he believes Luka Doncic's 43 point, 17 rebound, 13 assist performance in the Dallas Mavericks' Game 4 win over the Los Angeles Clippers will go down in history as one of the seminal individual playoff performances of the last 40 years, tells us why 'Playoff P' Paul George could be one of the worst postseason performers in recent history, and wonders aloud why Kawhi Leonard and Doc Rivers aren't facing more criticism from the talking heads as the Clippers' best player and head coach, respectively. Jason also explains how the fact that Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray both dropping 50 points on Sunday night in the same game is further proof that the overall talent in today's NBA is much higher than in year's past. Plus, FS1 and Bleacher Report NBA analyst Ric Bucher swings by to explain why he's still not 100% sold on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, why Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid - and necessarily head coach Brett Brown - should shoulder much of the blame for the Philadelphia Sixers playoff struggles the past few seasons, why he's betting on the Golden State Warriors keeping the #2 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, and much more! Finally, Jason puts his gaudy 71% winning percentage to the test in the Monday edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1991 Lions & Browns. 1991 was simply the best year in the history of the Lions franchise, as they accomplished things they hadn't done before (or since). Overcoming injuries and tragedy, they finished one painful step short of the Super Bowl. Meanwhile for the Browns, it was the first year in the head coaching career of Bill Belichick. As you'll hear, he's very much the same head coach now he was back then - except his surprising decisions and bold moves didn't quite work out. Why? Find out in I Love the 90s: The 1991 Lions & Bill Belichick's Browns.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This may have been the best AFC Championship game of the past 30 years. In 1996, the solid-but-unspectacular Colts nearly upset the Steelers in a game that had it all: Controversial officiating, unlikely heroes (Willie Williams? Ernie Mills?), and a last-gasp play that stopped hearts across the NFL. We spotlight players like budding superstar Kordell Stewart and Captain Comeback Jim Harbaugh. Oh, and the drama for the Colts was just beginning after the loss. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Broncos were headed to the Super Bowl. The Jaguars were the fun new kid on the block. It wasn't supposed to be a fair fight. But after ending the Bills careers of Jim Kelly & Marv Levy, the Jaguars shocked the football world behind QB Mark Brunell as they derailed Denver's championship run. How did they do it - and why didn't the Jaguars turn into the expected dynasty fans thought they'd be? Meanwhile, Denver lost more than a game, as they whiffed on a chance to be immortal. It's the defeat John Elway called the most embarrassing of his career until that point. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two years after the Padres & Rockies extra-inning Game #163 thriller, the Tigers and Twins went at it in a tie-breaking game to decide the American League Central title. A tight-battle became a 12-inning roller-coaster in the blink of an eye. When is a hit-by-pitch that could’ve won the game not a hit-by-pitch despite evidence to the contrary? Just what was one manager thinking leaving his closer in as long as he did? And how did a pinch-runner, who cost his team the win earlier in the game with an unthinkable gaffe, turn into the unlikely hero? Plus, we take a deep dive into players like Joe Nathan, Fernando Rodney, the meat of the Tigers lineup and how the Twins have become the model for small-market success. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2007 the Padres & Rockies engaged in a game for the ages, as after 162 games the two teams were tied for the National League Wild Card. A tie-breaking contest raged into 13 innings of punch-counter punch - and still, 13 years later, the winning run never touched home plate. How did that happen - and how did Jason turn into the person who broke that news to one of the teams? The second-best closer we’ve ever seen had the worst two-game run of his career at the worst possible time, and one of the teams overall strategies certainly was, well, let’s just say different. Plus, we go in-depth on players like Jake Peavy, Adrian Gonzalez, Khalil Greene, Matt Holliday and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The last time the Browns were in the playoffs was so long ago, there had only been one Spider-Man movie. But oh what a game it was. The 2003 post-season thriller between the Steelers and Browns had it all: Backup QB’s ascending to glory and then quickly flaming back out, a potential hero who saw his fame turn on one dropped pass, and had the Browns had just one more second on the clock things could’ve been different. It’s Kordell Stewart, Tommy Maddox, Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb, the strange beginning of the Browns season and the even stranger ending of Butch Davis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes NFL games are so famous they get a name. Hence why the 2016 playoff classic between the Seahawks and the Vikings is known as the Blair Walsh Game. The stunning miss on the short field goal gave an unexpected win to Seattle, and began an epic odyssey for Minnesota. The game featured a boss move by an 88-year old former head coach, a broken nose, an Odell Beckham-like catch and one jaw-dropping sequence you could point to and say “That’s Russell Wilson’s career in one play.” As direct and indirect results of this game, the Seahawks changed the focus of their team, and the Vikings cleaned house. Oh, and Blair Walsh ended up kicking for the Seahawks after. It’s Special Teams: The Blair Walsh Game. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly a decade after instant icon Tim Tebow’s fifteen minutes of NFL fame, we look back at the playoff victory he piloted the Broncos to in one of the most memorable NFL games of the new millennium. Winning an overtime thriller against the Steelers could’ve been the springboard to NFL super-stardom - instead it was the last big moment of his career. How did Tebow do it against a great Steelers defense? Part of it had to do with the surprising circumstances of who was on the field for Pittsburgh on the fateful game-deciding play in OT - a play that had many NFL fans unsure if the game was even over after it occurred. We delve into a young - and very different - Antonio Brown, the beginning of Demaryius Thomas’ short run as the best WR in the NFL, and the coup-de-gras of how it all went south for Tebow right after. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rams Greatest Show on Turf thrilled and excited football fans everywhere at the turn of the 21st century, as their offense was like nothing we had seen in the NFL in years. But like everything else in life, it had to come to an end. But, whew - how it did so is worthy of it’s own five-act play. A season of seismic change at QB for the Rams culminated with a head coaching decision in the showdown against the Panthers that is still baffling to this day. We spotlight the careers of Marc Bulger and Jake Delhomme, and break down X Clown - the play that ended the double-overtime thriller in lightning-quick fashion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan Marino and the Fake Spike Game. It sounds like a Harry Potter title, but it’s one of the most iconic moments in NFL history. This week we look at the Special Teams involved in the 1994 mid-season NFL classic. The Jets get more criticism than they deserve for this play, and the promising head coaching career of Pete Carroll took a huge detour due to the fallout from it. An even bigger debate: does Dan Marino’s career still have the same reputation without this highlight? Plus we spotlight two other players featured in the game and the winding paths the rest of their careers took. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A week before Scott Norwood’s right foot took center stage in 1991, the Giants and 49ers played an NFC Championship game for the ages. The Giants relied on a hard hit, a fake punt and a fumble to advance to the Super Bowl, while for San Francisco, it turned out to be the last game Joe Montana would ever start for them. One play in this game changed the 49ers forever, however it was New York who would never be the same again. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Say “4th and 26” and NFL fans shake their heads at one of the most improbable plays in NFL history. The play that made Freddie Mitchell a cult hero, which subsequently - and unfortunately - put the rest of his career in the spotlight. The play that cost Brett Favre a chance at another Super Bowl - even though Favre contributed to the loss in overtime with a throw that hurt just as much. The play that helped usher in seismic changes for both the Packers and Eagles in the following years. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Special Teams takes a fresh look back at one of the most famous plays in NFL history: The Music City Miracle. While you think you know the play that sent the Titans to victory, we’ll look at it from the other side - and the questionable strategy from the Bills that went into allowing it to happen. We have bad time outs, an illogical QB derby and how if the play went the other way, NFL history for many teams would’ve been changed as a result. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the annals of sports history, everyone has their favorite uniform combination for both their favorite team and others they admire for their sharp look. In this episode, we rank our favorite MLB and NFL uniforms both of the present and all-time, plus the worst of what teams put out there in an attempt for style. (Two words: Shorts & Hiliters.) And also a special bonus bit on the best of the best of minor league baseball hats. This episode may foster the most disagreement of any one we’ve done to this point. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part two of our look back at when sports stopped, we take you through the last two times an NFL season was interrupted due to owner/player disagreements. The 1982 NFL Strike caused a complete reconfiguration of the playoffs, the crazy ways networks filled programming time without football, and the special teams we saw qualify for the post-season - at least the ones with winning records! The 1987 work stoppage was as bizarre as the movie ‘The Replacements’ made it seem: Scab games, stars crossing the picket-lines, and who became ‘special’ because they knew how to navigate the strike the best. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In getting along without live sports, we look back at the last two times we had to get along without baseball, and how some Special Teams emerged. You won’t believe the details in how MLB decided to play out the season in 1981 after having it interrupted due to a player’s strike. (First-half champions? Second half-champions? Possible second-half second place playoff teams? Changing managers mid-season after clinching a playoff berth?) And while the 1994 lockout has been well-documented due to the missed opportunities for Ken Griffey, Jr., Matt Williams & Tony Gwynn, we focus on three other big stories that haven’t nearly gotten the attention they deserve - including possibly the worst year any MLB division has ever had. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To have a winless NFL season is the worst of football events for a team and its fans, as winning just one game brings all sorts of relief. But sometimes even those one-win campaigns were just as bad as the zeroes - for all sorts of crazy reasons. This week, we’ll look back at three special 1-15’ers: The last year of the Ryan Leaf era in San Diego, which had allegations of fake injuries and golf, while the 2007 Dolphins nearly cost Jason his relationship with his best friend but featured the heroics of Greg Camarillo. (And of course no list of teams would be complete without the Jets on it.) One thing all of them had in common? Each of them completely turned around the following season. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No college football season in modern history was as insane as 2007. Virtually every team who was ranked second in the country ended up losing their perch and a chance at the national championship. This week, we’ll look back at four of those teams who came oh-so-close before succumbing to upsets in the most spectacular manner. Adding to it is that none of those teams have been close to what they were that year: South Florida (Who?), Boston College (Matty Ice!), Kansas (What?) and West Virginia (Oh, Rich Rod). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, it’s the second part of our look back at what some special teams did in the NFL Draft. We’ll revisit just how Jerry Rice landed in the laps of the 49ers - a lot of it had to do with a sleepy head coach and the Jets being the Jets. No one in NFL history can match the Cowboys three-year run of first-round picks from 1988-90 - despite doing all they could to screw it up during that time. And what sort of career begins when a franchise quarterback is booed by fans when he’s drafted? Only a career in Philadelphia. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NFL teams who win - or lose - nearly always have to do special things in the NFL Draft to stand out. This week, it’s Part I of our look back at the squads who did what they had to do - or didn’t do - to get there. You know about the famous John Elway trade following the 1983 draft - but there’s all kinds of dramatic twists and turns (especially from the Colts side) you won’t believe happened for this deal to finally go down. We also spotlight a team who could’ve made a draft-day trade that would’ve changed the course of NFL history, but instead backed away. And fifteen years later, we re-examine the Packers Aaron Rodgers draft-day slide, how shocking it was, and why that won’t ever happen ever again.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we take a look back at the last World Series title for the New York Yankees. 2009 began with off-season fireworks and huge changes for the team, which were then dwarfed by the shocking Alex Rodriguez revelations. How close was Joe Girardi to being fired before he even got started? How unlikely was A-Rod’s redemption story? And what former Evil Empire nemesis did they have to conquer - once again - to hoist the trophy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our second installment of March Cinderellas, this week we look back at three teams whose NCAA tournament runs were not only unexpected, but full of star power and trend-setting. The 1987 Providence Friars were led by head coach Rick Pitino and senior point guard Billy Donovan, well before either of them started winning NCAA titles behind the bench. Their tournament success could’ve been sunk by a single free throw. George Mason set the bar as high as it could be for mid-majors in THE most unlikeliest of Final Four appearances, and Florida Gulf Coast brought Dunk City into the mainstream, doing it all with a roster of players who didn’t even show up on many recruiting sites. The three incredible stories of Providence, George Mason and FGCU. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We continue our special month of college hoops ‘Special Teams’ with the first of two shows spotlighting some of the great Cinderella teams of all time. In 1986, David Robinson led Navy all the way to the Elite Eight as the Admiral became a mythic figure in college basketball. Before becoming a yearly power, Gonzaga hit the radar screen in 1999 with a first-round tournament win wracked with controversy, and qualified for the Elite Eight with some last second magic. But the real crazy thing for the Zags happened after the tournament. And finally, the 2008 Davidson Wildcats, who introduced the world to Steph Curry. His regular season video-game numbers brought them from behind in a huge comeback, as Curry became a collegiate superstar whose name was on everyone’s lips. Maybe most remarkable is how their run ended in the Final Four - and how the final play of their elimination game against Kansas went down. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of living in the shadow of John Wooden’s dynasty, UCLA returned to glory with their first national championship in twenty years by beating Arkansas in 1995. The Bruins needed one of the greatest buzzer-beaters in NCAA history - that was aided by a critical mistake - the surprise help of two freshmen, and the leadership of Ed O’Bannon, who became famous for much different reasons after his playing days. We also get into why UCLA didn’t become another dynasty after that title - and it all had to do with a dinner and an over-reaction. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To kick off the Madness of March, on Special Teams we look back at the last Duke team to win the national championship. Possibly one of the most unexpected titles of Coach K’s career, it came with a questionable coaching decision that nearly cost the Blue Devils the title against the ultimate Cinderella Butler Bulldogs.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KD. Russ. The Beard. The Oklahoma City Thunder of this century’s second decade looked like they would be the dominant team in the NBA for years, but failed to win it all despite the massive talent of their big three. In this episode of ‘Special Teams,’ we look back at the year the Thunder came the closest to winning it all as they ascended to a legendary battle with the “other” big 3 of the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. So what happened? How did it nearly go so right, and then how did it all start to come apart? Here’s a hint: HOW DO YOU TRADE JAMES HARDEN? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine a world where the New York Knicks not only were a threat, but they were positioned to be great for years to come. In 1999, smart trades (!) helped fortify a team for an NBA Finals run that no one saw coming. Full of big personalities and historic moments, New York went from the barely-qualifying 8th seed in the East all the way to the game’s biggest stage, overcoming a devastating injury in their playoff chase. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was no roller-coaster ride more fun than the 2009 Minnesota Vikings, who went as far - and fell as suddenly - as Brett Favre's arm would carry them. The entire world expected a Super Bowl, but what we got was potentially more entertaining - and controversial. And yeah, the NFL completely changed a huge rule because of Favre and the Vikings. The second act to the Favre career drama brought all the thrills you could possibly want. Relive it with us here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The last ‘Special Team’ the Los Angeles Lakers had was in 2009-2010, when Kobe Bryant led them to their most recent championship - in thrilling fashion over the Boston Celtics. This week, we look back at the final title on Kobe’s resume. Yes, the Lakers had to overcome injuries and get surprising clutch production from improbable places in order to win, but this was about Kobe. How when he played ‘poorly', he was still great. How he became so beloved after his early years - as the answer isn’t what you think it is. And how his legacy would be different had the Lakers lost to the Celtics again. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By 1993, the world had seen the Bills play in four straight Super Bowls, winning none. Despite the lack of a signature win, their place in NFL history is secure. In this episode, we re-live the last of their Super Bowl seasons - and defeats. You'll learn plenty of new things about one of the most legendary 'losing' teams in sports history. Why couldn't they get over the hump? Were they as great as we remember them? And what do they have in common with Tiger Woods? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For every person who wants to tell you how great the '85 Bears defense was, you can respond with the excellence of the 2000 Ravens. Did anyone see this coming? Especially considering how the season began under a cloud of tragedy and legal issues for the team's best player? To say it was rocky is an understatement. But when the games started, the Ravens defense did things we hadn't seen in the NFL in the decades before - or since. If that's not enough, they weathered a quarterback change and a near record-offensive drought on their way to the Super Bowl. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before he turned into the baseball-playing-reality-show-hosting-former-NFL-quarterback, Tim Tebow officially became an icon by leading the 2008 Florida Gators to the national championship. How did it happen? It had to do with a big loss, a bigger speech, a bloody jersey, and revenge over losing out on the Heisman Trophy. And after it was all over, you could make a case for Tebow being the greatest college football player of all time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some called it the greatest college football game they’d ever seen. There wasn’t anything else in the world like the Ohio State-Miami Fiesta Bowl to decide the national champion of the 2002 season. Twists, turns, injury, drama and controversy dotted a spectacular close to a season in which the Buckeyes shocked the world. From a freshman tailback who was first a superstar and then a cautionary tale, to the contributions of a surprising two-way standout, OSU always found a way to win. But that Fiesta Bowl. My goodness. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the current college football playoff perfect? Not remotely. But it’s a far cry from 1991, when not one, but two incredibly talented teams split the national championship due to the voting process that used to determine the national champion. Re-live the craziness, which featured a dominant year from the Miami Hurricanes - the bad boys of college football - and the Washington Huskies, who turned out to be the new bad boys for different and shocking reasons. Chock full of future NFL stars, devastating injuries, a thrilling chapter in a famous rivalry, and a seismic change to college football AFTER the final votes were in. It’s the 1991 Miami Hurricanes and Washington Huskies: the first two-team Special Teams episode.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Holidays from Special Teams! This week, we play with our format a bit and take a look at some of the "special teams" who have had incredible performances on Christmas Day! You’ll find out why 12/25 was a controversial day in the NFL for so long, we'll re-live two incredible NBA games - between the same teams and just a few years apart - before diving into some of the bizarre and history-making performances that occurred just hours after Santa Claus came down the chimney. And we’ll remember some Christmas sports traditions long gone from our landscape. It’s Special Teams: Christmas Day. (Which also sounds like a cable movie about a government ops mission gone wrong at the North Pole. Maybe we’ll do that one next year).  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While it was their later teams who won championships, the 2010-11 Miami Heat was the squad who changed basketball forever. We take you back to The Decision and its effects on both the NBA and LeBron James nearly a decade later. The league’s first modern day traveling rock show had it all: a polarizing team not ready for the backlash they received, the near firing of their head coach and an early-season meltdown of one of their stars. But the wins would come. The Heat roared into the Finals before falling victim to a team who showed them what their missing ingredient was, but the biggest of shocks in the series against the Dallas Mavericks came from the on-court disappearance of the man who made all of the craziness happen: LeBron James. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2005 Texas Longhorns blew the doors off of their opponents under Vince Young, the most exciting quarterback in college football. Lighting up the scoreboard throughout the season, it was destiny for Young to face off against the USC Trojans twice: once for the Heisman Trophy, and once for the National Championship. Many call the Longhorns win over USC the greatest Rose Bowl game ever, and it's hard to argue. This game had it all: star-power, excitement, plenty of points, last-minute heroics and a coaching mistake by Pete Carroll every bit as damaging as not giving the ball to Marshawn Lynch in the Super Bowl a few years later. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 1997 Michigan Wolverines entered the season with high hopes - and one of the best defenses in the history of college football. Along the way to their first national title in 50 years, Tom Brady was beaten out for the starting quarterback job, Charles Woodson made Heisman Trophy history, and the Wolverines won a thriller for the championship over Ryan Leaf (Ryan Leaf!) and Washington State. But the real controversy came AFTER all the Bowl games were played. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 1996 Green Bay Packers had one of the most dominant football teams in history in all three phases of the game. Their Super Bowl triumph started the legend of Brett Favre, and an unheralded Heisman Trophy winner who barely made the team became an unlikely hero. An anticipated showdown with a bitter rival never materialized - probably for the Packers own good - and even Bill Parcells couldn’t stop the Packers return to glory. The Super Bowl played out in New Orleans, brought to life with stories of powerful drinks, vacuum cleaner hoses, and the Chicken Man. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2013 Seattle Seahawks staked a claim to ‘greatest defense of all-time,’ with a huge share of adventure along the way. It was Russell Wilson becoming a super-star and Richard Sherman polarizing a nation - because of an interview. It was the most glorious time for Seahawks-49ers, the best rivalry the NFL had seen in a decade. And in true Seahawks fashion, even in winning it all they were embroiled in one of the most bizarre Super Bowl dramas we’ve ever seen - that’s still playing out to this day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The legacies of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson are now part of the common lore of NBA history. This is the story of their first title, and all they had to overcome to get there. How crushing was their defeat in the previous playoffs that caused them to hire Jackson? (And why did a VCR bear the brunt of the blame?) How did the season almost go off the rails from the beginning? What grudge does Shaquille O’Neal still hold from that season (and surprise, it’s not towards Kobe)? What evidence immediately following their title told us the Lakers two big stars could stick around & make it work for awhile? And what story will Kobe Bryant likely hear for the first time surrounding his season of breakthrough stardom…and romance? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before the Browns made going o-fer a “thing,” the 2008 Detroit Lions stunned the world by becoming the first team to go 0-16 in NFL history. And they actually had high hopes coming into the season. Firing their GM at the quarter pole couldn’t help them get a win. Playing a literal “Where are they now?” of quarterbacks couldn’t help. Having the best wide receiver in the NFL couldn’t help, either. Making a huge trade mid-season didn’t pan out. (What did help was possibly having the worst single-season defense ever. Hey, small victories.) And in the process, they also provided a blooper that will likely live forever as one of the most outlandish and embarrassing - think the Butt Fumble before the Butt Fumble. We also re-live 2008 in pop culture, history, and add a very special “Where are they now?” The 2008 Detroit Lions. Winless Perfection. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did the 1998 New York Yankees have the greatest single-season in MLB history? The full appreciation for their accomplishments looks even greater from this distance. Their offensive numbers will shock you. The success they had in one specific playoff series was stunning. And boy were they on the ropes and rescued by an unlikely source in the American League Championship Series. Did you know they could’ve been even better had they been able to sign a player they drafted who went on to stardom elsewhere? That despite their home-grown stars it was two minor trades that brought them regular season and playoff heroes? There was perfection, brawling, and controversy all wrapped up in a World Series punctuated by a power show. The 1998 New York Yankees. Possibly the best of the best.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes you don’t have to win a championship to be special. Sometimes you can be near-perfect and scandal-ridden. This is the story of the 2007 New England Patriots, who began the year under a cloud of controversy that followed them on their historic run through an undefeated regular season that fell just painfully short of immortality. The details surrounding Spygate seem ludicrous and stunning well over a decade later. But it was also a year when Tom Brady took a leap that no one saw coming, a star wide receiver was reborn, and the execution of one of the greatest trades ever - only to see it come to a shocking end, and the Patriots have no one but themselves to blame. The 2007 New England Patriots. Perfection denied. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The sports landscape is filled with legendary teams and their accomplishments that we still currently talk about, reference and compare to the present. Special Teams takes a look at these squads as we help relive their victories, losses and controversies that have marked their place in history. You’ll get unique storytelling, strong opinions and heavy doses of fun. Fox Sports hosts Jason Smith and Mike Harmon work through the backstories, build-ups and breakdowns of these (in)famous squads using personal anecdotes, pop culture references and a sizable mirror. The picture isn’t always so pretty, but you’ll never forget it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.