FrontPage305
By Walter Villa, Andre C. Fernandez and Manny Navarro
FrontPage305Oct 20, 2020
April 20, 2021 - FIU basketball coach Jeremy Ballard, Bally Sports' Jessica Blaylock
Host Walter Villa brings on a special guest from the high school ranks to share her story and then welcomes FIU basketball coach Jeremy Ballard to talk about race relations and Bally Sports TV's Jessica Blaylock to discuss Florida Panthers hockey and Marlins baseball. It's riveting. April 20, 2021.
April 6, 2021 - College baseball, football, N.Y. Jets and Miami Hurricanes
Host Walter Villa welcomes two guests from D1 Baseball including editor Aaron Fitt, Champagnat football coach Hector Clavijo and sports writers Corey Long (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Manny Navarro (The Athletic) to talk New York Jets and Hurricanes spring football. April 6, 2021.
March 23, 2021 - Panthers, FSU baseball, Miami crime
Host Walter Villa interviews Craig Minervini on the Florida Panthers, a Miami Herald crime reporter and FSU baseball star Mat Nelson.
March 2, 2021 - Marlins prospect Griffin Conine, high school basketball, baseball in Australia
Host Walter Villa interviews Marlins prospect Griffin Conine, discusses the story of the year in high school basketball in South Florida and talks baseball in Australia. March 2, 2021
Jan. 26, 2021 - Manny Navarro joins Walter Villa
Recorded Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021.
Episode 24 - Josh White, Jacob Shaw and what chicken McNuggets mean to hip people
Miami-area journalists Walter Villa and Andre C. Fernandez talk sports. Jan. 19, 2021.
Jan. 5, 2021 - Manny Navarro reunites with the boys
The Athletic's Manny Navarro rejoins hosts Walter Villa and Andre C. Fernandez to talk Miami Hurricanes football, weight loss and more. St. Thomas University president David Armstrong joins the guys to talk about his beloved Cleveland Browns making the playoffs and Frankie Ruiz, a 10-time state championship winning running coach from Miami Belen shares insights. 60 minutes. Jan. 5, 2020
Episode 23 - Bill Daley, Chris Caputo and Lindsay Holder
Walter Villa and Andre C. Fernandez interview High School Sports Writer Bill Daley, Miami Hurricanes basketball assistant coach Chris Caputo and nutritionist Lindsay Holder. Dec. 15, 2020. 60 minutes.
Episode 22 - 'Crootin
Hosts Walter Villa and Andre C. Fernandez talk to former NFL player E.J. Biggers, Florida State beat writer Antwan Staley and local recruiting guru Larry Blustein of WQAM. Dec. 8, 2020. 58 minutes.
Episode 21 - Women can kick
Walter Villa and Andre Fernandez talk to a local high school kicker and talk Canes, Heat, Marlins, Dolphins and much more. Dec. 1, 2020.
St. Thomas University Bobcast - Nov. 24, 2020
Walter Villa (Miami Herald) and Manny Navarro (The Athletic) wrap up the 2020 football season with coach Bill Rychel, running back Robert Armes and quarterback Tyler Thomas. The Bobcats ended the season with three consecutive victories. Armes is the first 1,000 yard rusher in STU program history and was named the Mid-South Conference Sun Division Player of the Week for the second time in his career. Thomas took over at quarterback at mid-season for STU and combined for 11 touchdowns in five starts. Thomas averaged 129.3 yards-per-game, 10 passing touchdowns and had a rating of 116.1, while throwing for 776-yards. 28 minutes.
St. Thomas University Bobcast - Nov. 18, 2020
Walter Villa (The Miami Herald) and Manny Navarro (The Athletic) talk to football coach Bill Rychel about his team's come-from-behind 27-20 overtime victory over Warner University including a standout performance by freshman Sydney Porter, the National Defensive Player of the Week. Then they turn the focus to baseball and outfielder Gus Guerra, who shares his story about rescuing his dog Chance. Coach Jorge Perez discusses the state of the baseball program, which is ranked No. 4 nationally. 34 minutes.
Episode 20 - Hoops, gold medals and Fins talk
Walter Villa, Andre Fernandez and Santos Perez talk about the NBA Draft with Miami Heat beat writer Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Plus, an Olympic gold medalist Lyndsay Shoop joins the program to discuss weight loss. Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.
St. Thomas University Bobcast - Nov. 11, 2020
We catch up with football coach Bill Rychel before St. Thomas' second annual homecoming game Saturday against Warner University at 2 p.m. He gives us his grade for his 2-3 team to this point and discusses the challenges in recruiting during the pandemic. We then chat with volleyball coach Whitney Battoe, who in her first season as coach has led STU to its first winning season since 2017. St. Thomas begins the Sun Conference Tournament with a quarterfinals matchup on Friday against Warner University. We also speak with sophomore Kyleigh Beecham, who currently leads the Sun Conference in assists (482) and ranks 19th nationally. 29 minutes.
St. Thomas University Bobcast - Nov. 5, 2020
Bobcats head football coach and athletic director Bill Rychel joined us to recap last Saturday's 24-13 win Ave Maria and swimming and diving coach Keith Coghlan joined us to discuss the latest with his program. 30 minutes. Recorded Nov. 4, 2020.
St. Thomas University Bobcast - Oct. 28, 2020
Episode 19 - Tua's debut, World Series and Canes roundtable
Walter Villa and Andre C. Fernandez talk to Saturday Down South columnist Connor O'Gara about former Alabama and current Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, breakdown the World Series and then talk to Manny Navarro (The Athletic) and David Furones (Sun-Sentinel) about the Miami Hurricanes at the midseason point. 58 minutes. Oct. 27, 2020
St. Thomas University Bobcast - Oct. 21, 2020
We catch up with current LSU and former St. Thomas University baseball coach Paul Mainieri and current Bobcats baseball coach Jorge Perez to talk about their trip to Cuba with Team USA, Paul's history at St. Thomas University and growing up in Miami and how they've tried to manage their respective teams through COVID-19 pandemic. 38 minutes.
Episode 18 - It's finally Tua time!
Tua Tagovailoa has been named the Dolphins new starting quarterback. The guys talk about that and Andre's accurate World Series prediction of the Dodgers-Rays. Walter Villa and Andre Fernandez do their first show without the great Manny Navarro -- and yet still call Manny in the second segment to talk Canes. 60 minutes. Oct. 20, 2020
St. Thomas University Bobcast - Oct. 14, 2020
We chat with wrestling coach Jake Patacsil, a former All-American at Purdue and St. Thomas Aquinas High school grad in Fort Lauderdale, about getting the school's new program off the ground. Jesus Perez, the team's first signee who wrestles in the 197-pound weight class, talks to us about his path from Hialeah Gardens to minus-30 degree temperatures for college wrestling and then his trip back home to help start STU's new program. Plus, media relations coordinator Jonathan Leatherman stops by to share his insights on the other programs at STU and how they are doing during this football bye week. 36 minutes. Oct. 14, 2020.
Episode 17 - When will it be Tua time?
The guys discuss the Miami Dolphins' 43-17 win at San Francisco and wonder when Miami's rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will finally get a shot to play. Also, what should we make of the Hurricanes' 42-17 loss at No. 1 Clemson and Manny Diaz saying his team has to stop thinking arrogantly when it comes to competing with the rest of the ACC. Plus, do the Heat need to pair Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo up with another superstar? 58 minutes. Oct. 13, 2020.
Interview with Jerry DiPaola, Pittsburgh TribLive.com sports writer
DiPaola previews Saturday's game between the Pittsburgh Panthers (3-2) and Miami Hurricanes (3-1) at Hard Rock Stadium and tells us why Walter Villa is a great guy. Oct. 12, 2020. 50 minutes.
St. Thomas University Sports Show - Oct. 7, 2020
Football coach Bill Rychel joins the show to talk about his team's 38-6 win over Warner University last Saturday and how the Bobcats played well in all three phases. School president David Armstrong then joins the program to discuss his long-term vision for the school and athletic programs as well as who he is rooting for in this year's NBA Finals. 39 minutes.
Episode 16 - Where does Jimmy Butler's Game 3 performance rank all-time in Miami sports history?
We preview the Marlins-Braves series in the National League Division Series, talk Canes-Clemson and dig into the Heat's run to the NBA Finals and whether or not Jimmy Butler's Game 3 performance ranks second all-time among individual performances by an athlete in Miami sports history. 60 minutes.
St. Thomas University Sports Show - Sept. 29, 2020
Episode 15 - Are our eyes deceiving us?
The Miami Heat reached the NBA Finals, the Miami Marlins are in the playoffs and the Miami Hurricanes are ranked in the top 10. Which of these teams is really good or a product of the COVID-19 pandemic's affect on the sports world? We debate and preview Marlins-Cubs, Heat-Lakers and Miami's game at No. 1 Clemson on Oct. 10.
St. Thomas University Sports Show - Sept. 23, 2020
Episode 14 - Is Jose Borregales the new Chuck Norris?
The guys talk Miami Hurricanes football including kicker Jose Borregales' claim he can make a field goal from 70 yards out. Plus, they delve into the Marlins' playoff hopes, what the Heat has to do to win a championship, and why Manny has a shady looking body bag behind him. 50 minutes. Recorded Sept. 22, 2020.
Interview - Judy Sanchez, wife of former Marlins All-Star first baseman
We caught up with our friend Judy Sanchez, a former freelance writer for the Miami Herald, All-County softball and basketball star at Southwest High and mother of three. She's the wife of former Marlins All-Star first baseman Gaby Sanchez and shares what it is like to be the wife of a major leaguer behind the scenes. 51 minutes.
Episode 13 - Why the Marlins are going to win the World Series
The guys discuss the greatest rotation ever assembled, preview the Eastern Conference Finals and discuss Hurricanes football. 56 minutes. Recorded Sept. 15, 2020.
Interview - Patrick Surtain, former Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl cornerback
The guys catch up with Surtain, who is the head coach at Plantation American Heritage School, to talk about Miami Hurricanes recruiting, defensive tackle Nesta Silvera, his son Patrick Jr., who is a star cornerback at Alabama, the Miami Dolphins 2020 season and his relationship with Miami Hurricanes cornerback coach Mike Rumph. Recorded Sept. 10, 2020.
Episode 12 - Football is back!
We preview the Miami Hurricanes' season opener against UAB on Thursday, examine the NFL 53-man rosters and talk about where the Hurricanes stand with UF, FSU and the other state schools and then raise the question: Is Giannis Antetokounmpo even a top 5 player in the NBA? Plus, Marlins playoff talk! 60 minutes.
Episode 11 - Playoff Jimmy & shopping for bikinis with Serena & Venus
The Heat opened their second round series with Milwaukee with a blaze of Jimmy Butler glory; longtime tennis writer Sandy Harwitt takes us bikini shopping with Venus and Serena Williams; the Marlins made trades. Recorded Sept. 1, 2020.
Interview: Dolphins beat writer Josh Tolentino (The Athletic)
The Miami Dolphins are less than two weeks away from their season opener and we've got The Athletic's Josh Tolentino on to talk about what's been going on in camp -- while trying to make sure he doesn't get in trouble for it. We also hear about that time Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes embarrassed Josh on the basketball court. 47 minutes.
Interview: Santos Perez, Hall of Fame boxing writer
We catch up with Miami-based sports writer Santos Perez to talk boxing, baseball, Walter Villa's free croqueta tactics and more. 45 minutes.
Episode 10 - Just a bunch of punk-ass white boys
The guys discuss the incident involving Montrezl Harrell and Luka Doncic over the weekend, the debut of Marlins top prospect Sixto Sanchez and more. Recorded at noon Aug. 25, 2020 on SiriusXM radio.
Interview: Jonathan Rodriguez, Puerto Rican basketball star
The guys catch up with Jonathan Rodriguez, who had a stellar high school career at Calusa Prep in Miami, where he led the team to a state championship in 2005 and then played at Campbell University. Rodriguez has spent the last few years playing professionally overseas and talks about the NBA playoffs, the life of a professional basketball player and what it was like to play against OJ Mayo and Kevin Durant. 26 minutes.
Episode 9 - Can you feel the Heat?
The guys recap the Hurricanes' first scrimmage of the fall, preview the Miami Heat-Indiana Pacers series with longtime Spanish radio voice Jose Paneda and get their Behind Las Cortinas segment from Miami Herald Sports editor Alex Mena.
Interview: Alex Mena, Miami Herald Sports Editor
We caught up with Miami Herald Sports Editor Alex Mena, who like Manny and Andre started working for the newspaper when he was very young and worked his way up the chain to the leader of the department. Mena, a Hialeah-Miami Lakes and FIU graduate, was born in Nicaragua and share his inspiring story of how he made an important decision to leave his post working at Subway to get into the newspaper business.
Interview: Walter Alvarez, father of Marlins rookie Eddy Alvarez
We caught up with Walter Alvarez, 70, last Friday to talk about his son's first week in the major leagues. Eddy Alvarez, a former silver medal-winning speedskater at the Sochi Olympic games, picked up his first hit off New York Mets two-time Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom and his girlfriend, Gaby Pearson, is set to give birth to the couple's first child sometime this week. Walter Alvarez, a Cuban immigrant, owns a construction business and was a boxing promoter for many years in South Florida.
Episode 8 - We didn't start the fire
The guys talk about the scheduling mess facing college football, the good start on the field the Marlins have gotten off to in 2020 and then talk to George Richards about what went wrong with the Panthers this season and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald about the Miami Heat's upcoming off-season decisions with free agents. Recorded on SlamMiami SeriusXM Channel 145 at noon on Aug. 11, 2020.
Interview: Chris Perkins, local sports writer
The guys catch up with longtime local journalist Chris Perkins to talk about his Texas roots, covering the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat and Hurricanes football and get a good Behind Las Cortinas story about Eddie Jones. 40 minutes.
Interview: Shane Larkin, former Miami Hurricanes basketball star
Manny Navarro (The Athletic) and Walter Villa catch-up with former ACC Player of the Year and Miami Hurricane Shane Larkin, who has become a star in Europe. Larkin, 27, was the Turkish League Finals MVP in 2019 after leading Anadolu Efes to the championship. He talks about becoming a Turkish citizen, growing up with a Hall of Fame baseball player for a father, his battle with obsessive compulsive disorder and what might be next for him including a venture back to the NBA. 36 minutes.
Episode 7: We're Live!
We hosted our first live podcast on SiriusXM Channel 145 Slam Miami and talked Marlins, Heat and shared some of the highlights from our weekly interviews including FIU coach Butch Davis. 54 minutes.
Interview: FIU coach Butch Davis
Manny Navarro (The Athletic) and Walter Villa catch up with FIU football coach Butch Davis to talk about the Panthers' win over the Miami Hurricanes in 2019 and how it is still helping the program today. We also get into why Butch is so good at evaluating talent, what he learned from Jimmy Johnson and what FIU hopes to accomplish this season with a new quarterback. Plus, did you know Butch was a kicker in college? We didn't either. 25 minutes.
Interview: Ruthie Polinsky, NBC6 Sports Anchor
The guys caught up with new local NBC6 Sports Anchor Ruthie Polinsky who started in March right in the middle of the pandemic and only got to cover one Miami Heat game. Polinsky, who was raised in St. Louis and is a Michigan grad, covered the New England Patriots for three years when she worked in Providence and has some good Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Bill Belichick stories to share. We also got her to dish on her favorite shows, why she's listening to Taylor Swift and her guilty pleasure. 53 minutes.
Interview: Miami Suns coaches on Sylvia Fowles
We catch up with longtime Miami High girls' basketball coach Sam Baumgarten Jr. and Miami Suns AAU program director Miguel Diaz to talk about Miami native Sylvia Fowles becoming the WNBA's all-time leader in rebounds and all of her great accomplishments. Fowles was a standout at Miami Edison High and Gulliver Prep and once kicked Manny Navarro's butt in a 1-on-1 game. We also talk about the three local starts playing in the WNBA including former Miami Hurricane Beatrice Mompremier. 42 minutes.
Interview: Baseball America's Matt Eddy on Marlins prospects
Baseball America's co-executive editor Matt Eddy joins to guys to talk about the Marlins farm system, which could get put to use here soon because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and some of the best baseball prospects to come out of South Florida. 25 minutes.
Episode 6: Did the Marlins just screw this up for everybody?
The guys tackle the big story involving the Marlins and COVID-19, high school sports and if Miami-Dade high schools would be better off breaking off from the FHSAA and share Florida Panthers beat writer George Richards' funny Behind Las Cortinas story. 60 minutes.
Interview: Mark Schusterman, FHSAA Board of Directors and co-Athletic Director at Riviera Prep
The guys caught up with Mark Schusterman, the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame coach who now serves on the board of directors of the FHSAA and has votes on major decisions including the sports calendar and how school athletic programs are adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schusterman played a role in the FHSAA's decision to delay the start of the sports calendar to August 24 after the organization initially voted to maintain its start time of July 27. Schusterman discussed what the FHSAA is doing and what it might do moving forward when it comes to dealing with the pandemic.